Retribution
by kyuxukyoku
Summary: Traumatizing events concerning his father lead Zexion into moving to his cousin Axel's house out of necessity for his safety, and there he finds a new life and new friends, and a new perspective on relationships. Zexion/Demyx, rated M for later chapters.
1. Arrival

Things became a lot different for Zexion the day he arrived at his cousin Axel's front doorstep, knocking on the apartment door nervously and trying to decide on the best place to put his hands as he listened carefully for movement behind the door. Eventually he decided to let one hand sway loosely by his side while the other gripped a strap on his backpack—just in time, it seemed, as the doorknob rattled and turned with the force of someone's hand on the other side. Zexion held his breath. He hadn't seen Axel since fifth grade, and his cousin and their family moved to the next town over. And that had been seven years ago…but at the moment it was late in the night, and Zexion was amazed that he hadn't gotten assaulted by anyone from the bus stop to here.

He waited, but the door didn't open. Suddenly he could hear a loud thump against it, and an angry growl, as if someone had tried to kick it open. A bit of yelling ensued, Zexion's stomach doing flips as he realized quickly that this could very well be the wrong address. He didn't have time to think though, as another voice came through much clearer than the previous babbling.

"You have to PULL it!"

The door opened. Behind it was a boy who looked no older than him with blonde, spiky hair and intensely blue eyes, looking down at him curiously. Zexion noticed there was quite a step up into the doorway, though he didn't dwell on the thought as he quickly dug into his pocket and shoved his bangs behind his ear, fishing out the address note and stammering in apology.

"I-I'm sorry, I must have the wrong address. I'm sorry to bother…" He looked at the address he had scribbled on the scrap of paper, then back up at the door, beginning to sweat as he realized that they were the same thing—he must have written it down wrong. "I…do you know where Axel Shinomura lives?"

"Uh…" The blonde didn't answer, looking behind him. Zexion couldn't believe that he didn't have a cell phone, knowing for sure that there was no way he would be able to find him now. But his savior was just down the hall, half naked, toweling his hair off and smiling.

"Zexion!" Axel loudly greeted him; the blonde slipping quietly to a couch in front of a television in a little room to the right as Axel stepped outside, pulling him in. "Goddamn, kid, you're all grown up! I can't believe it's been so long. Lemme get dressed so we can catch up on a few things, and I can tell you what's going on since I got the call that you were staying here." He hitched up the towel around his waist, red hair already starting to form volatile spikes as he left down the hall again.

Zexion put his backpack onto the ground and leaned against the kitchen table as he looked around, painfully aware of the blonde's presence as he ignored him and stayed immersed in whatever it was that played on the television. Zexion wanted to ask his name but he didn't seem up to talking, and vaguely he wondered if the blonde could see him staring in the reflection of the television set.

To Zexion's relief Axel took no time at all, his hair still a bit wet but at least he was clothed, bringing with him a few papers and setting them on what appeared to be the kitchen table. He sat down, gesturing for Zexion to pull up a chair beside him.

"First things first." Axel began as Zexion took a seat. "Over there is Roxas. He's a senior at the school you're gonna go to." Roxas turned for a moment, waving apathetically to Zexion before turning back to his show.

"Hey…" Zexion wondered if Roxas always acted this way, though apparently he was a bit more vociferous than he let off—he didn't forget the yells of frustration while he tried to kick the door open.

"Second, here are copies of all the papers that I've signed making me your legal guardian and you my dependant, papers enrolling you for the second semester at Twilight High, health insurance stuff, termination, blah blah blah…" Axel slid the papers over to Zexion, who looked at whatever it was Axel had mentioned about 'termination'. He examined the documents carefully, seeing which paper he was talking about. 'Termination of Victor Shinomura in reference to the guardianship of dependant under legal circumstances concerning recent convictions…" He couldn't read on, the latest memories of his past catching up to him. As he read his other papers Axel looked up, checking the clock.

"Rox, it's eleven, time for you to get back home." Axel called to Roxas, who sighed, standing up and walking over to the doorway where his shoes were. Zexion looked up for a moment, bringing all the papers into a neat little stack as he watched Roxas give Axel a chaste kiss on the lips and pull harshly on the doorknob just a couple feet away, walking out without a word.

"I didn't make him mad, did I?" Zexion asked, concerned once Roxas had shut the door. Axel laughed, and for a moment Zexion finally felt the relief he had been waiting for since he began his journey to Axel's apartment.

"He's only a little upset because he's used to getting a lot of privacy around here. But you don't need to worry about a thing—Roxas is always quiet around anyone new, he'll warm up to you soon enough. Even if he takes a while, you always have Demyx." Axel smiled, putting the papers into a manila folder and tapping them on the desk.

"Who's Demyx?" Zexion asked, commenting to himself how it was almost as if he had a set of built-in friends.

"Just another kid we hang out with. I'm sure you'll get a bunch of new friends, but for now I know him and Roxas will show you around pretty well." Axel put his hands to his lips for a moment as if remembering he was supposed to be holding something between his fingers, but kept on. "Demyx picks up Roxas on the way to school, and since Roxas lives in the same building he agreed to pick you up too. I even asked him to share his schedule so we could enroll you in a few of the same classes—he'll be able to get you caught up from the first couple of weeks that you missed."

"T-That's really great, thank you." Zexion was relieved that Axel was so willing to help him out like this, surprised at how accommodated he already felt. Everything since his dad being arrested had been so stressful up till now, and finally he felt like he could take a break, even if he had to start school again.

"Heh…it's the least I can do for you, kid…" Axel's voice had softened a bit, but suddenly frown lines appeared on his face. "Damnit, Zex…how come you never told anyone how much of a bastard Uncle Vic is?"

"I…" Zexion swallowed, his spit almost choking him. "It's kind of hard to tell anyone anything…especially when dad started getting super paranoid. My cell phone and computer got taken away, so…I-I dunno. It was _dad_. I can't just call the cops on him." Zexion began to feel a little distressed once more; still torn between his father's actions and his need for a normal family again, like the one he had before everything went wrong.

"I'm sorry, Zexion. If I had known this was going to happen, I wouldn't have let mom and dad move away. But right now…" He stood, stretching out, and Zexion noticed he had put pajama bottoms on, "I'm just glad you're okay. Come down the hall with me, will ya?" Zexion grabbed his backpack and followed him into a small room with a window facing the grassy field between the apartment building and the arts center, though it was too dark to notice much else. Axel flipped the light switch on.

"This is nice…"

"You think so? It'll be your room now. It's kinda small, but it has a nice desk and a bed, and Demyx even left his old mp3 player for you in case you wanted to listen to something." Zexion looked over to the desk and saw a little white gadget with a pair of neatly wrapped earphones, wondering how someone could be so considerate of someone who they had never met. Axel leaned on the door frame.

"Isn't it bizarre…" He mumbled, shaking his head, "…how I can be your guardian, even though I'm only like…what, four years older than you? I mean…you're seventeen, right? And next year you won't even need those papers anymore."

"Yeah…thanks, again…" Zexion unzipped his backpack, taking out a few changes of clothes and setting them in the empty drawers of the dresser.

"No problem. We'll get you more clothes. And school supplies, now that I think of it." Axel laughed, though he was afraid to ask why Zexion had only bothered to bring two shirts and two pairs of jeans. "Anyway, I'm gonna go to bed. You're welcome to stay up if you want to, but Demyx says he'll be around here at seven-thirty, so I would set the alarm if you're a heavy sleeper." Zexion nodded, reaching over to the alarm clock on the dresser and busying himself with setting it.

"Do you have my schedule?" He asked shyly.

"Yeah, it's the yellow paper on the kitchen counter." Axel yawned, pushing himself upright and turning down the hall. "G'night, kid…just call if you need anything else." Axel wandered tiredly down the hall, and Zexion could hear his door shutting as he found his toothbrush and headed to the bathroom.

He tried not to busy himself with too many thoughts as he brushed his teeth and relieved himself, hoping he could work around Axel's schedule in the morning to share the bathroom. He hadn't asked Axel much about himself, though he was pretty tired and he knew his cousin was too, going back to his room and changing into a t-shirt and changing his boxers. He shut the light off, grabbing the music player before falling onto the bed and shifting to pull the covers up over himself.

Lying in bed for a while he stared at the ceiling, feeling his eyelids grow heavier, trying to forget all the anxiety he had been carrying for so long. Briefly he wondered if he would ever find out about what was going on between Axel and Roxas, before falling asleep with the aid of soft music playing in his ear.


	2. Assimilation

7:20 am.

The blaring numbers took exactly seven seconds to sink in, after which Zexion tumbled out of bed, running to his dresser and grabbing one of the two outfits he had brought out of the drawer. He sprinted the five steps to the bathroom, glad that Axel wasn't using it and turning the water on.

Normally when he was this late he wouldn't take a shower, but it had been days since he was last able to, running a hand through his hair and grimacing at the oily texture. As soon as the water was hot he commenced in rubbing his scalp harshly with the shampoo Axel had put in, barely having time to notice that the bottle was brand new. Somewhere in the back of his mind he noted his appreciation.

He was barely dry out of the shower when he shoved his clothes on, frantically toweling his hair and brushing his teeth. He thought he could hear voices in the kitchen, spurring him to hurry even more, rinsing his mouth and running back into his room. Grabbing his backpack he dumped the rest of his belongings out; a sweater, several books, his DS, and his wallet. He shoved the wallet back in, feeling a bit ridiculous with such a light backpack. After a second thought he put a couple of the books back, just so it felt like he was carrying something around.

For a moment he calmed himself, not wanting to look like he had been rushing, even though it was all he had been doing. He went to his clock, wondering why it didn't go off to when he set it, pressing the button that would show him the alarm time.

7:00 pm.

Zexion groaned, hitching his backpack over his shoulder and walking into the kitchen, the collar of his shirt wet from his hair. He looked around, having expected to see people, but only the back of Axel's head was visible, the man busy eating a bowl of cereal and watching television.

"They aren't here yet?" Zexion fumbled with a strap on his backpack. When he had glanced at the clock in his room it was already past 7:30. Axel shook his head.

"No, though it's not unusual for Demyx to get here a little late. But don't worry—" Axel smiled, standing with his empty bowl and heading toward the sink in the kitchen. "Seven-thirty is a little early anyway, so I doubt you'll be late. Cereal?"

"S-Sure…" Zexion sat at the one of the barstool-style seats at the counter, seeing the yellow piece of paper that had his schedule on it and sliding it toward himself. The schedule looked pretty standard—English, Biology, History, Calculus, Philosophy, and Gym. At least Gym was last, so he could shower at home and not at the school.

"We tried to give you the basics. I would have waited until you were here to pick your classes, but the lady in the office said you needed a schedule right away. Something about temporary classes—I dunno. Either way, I think it's what you would have ended up with even if you were there." Axel set a bowl of some sort of sugary chocolate-looking cereal in front of him, but Zexion didn't complain, picking up the spoon quickly and beginning to eat.

"It's really fine, thanks." Zexion said between bites, letting his backpack slide off his shoulder and unzipping it to put his schedule in. He hoped they weren't too far into the classes, and that the teachers were forgiving—at least he had always been good at school, even if he had missed a whole lot of the previous semester.

"I gotta go to work soon, though. I was going to wait until the other two got here, but I don't know how much longer I can stretch it out." Axel looked at his watch, then proceeded to fix the collar on his shirt.

"What do you do?" Zexion asked curiously, hoping Axel wouldn't have to leave him by himself.

"I work at a restaurant preparing the foods that the chef cooks later with my help. It's actually a pretty sweet deal to work with food all the time." Axel grinned, and something told Zexion that he didn't mind being around all of the burning hot appliances and utensils required to cook food. Just then the door opened, a young man almost as tall as Axel walking into the room.

Zexion stared at first—his hair, a dusty blonde that looked much more muted than Roxas', was gelled straight up at the top, longer strands coming down from his forehead and the nape of his neck. The sides of his head were cut much shorter; though still enough to look a bit shaggy.

"Demyx! You're late." Axel teased, going around to the kitchen again to put away the milk and cereal.

"Yeah, yeah…hey!" Demyx's eyes landed on Zexion, who blushed. Roxas had been so much quieter, and in comparison Demyx was like a sudden whirlwind blasting into the apartment with all his energy. "You must be Zexion!" He walked forward and took Zexion's hand, shaking it vigorously.

"Yeah. Demyx, right?" Zexion tried to make his voice rise to a normal decibel, not wanting to seem like Roxas when he first met someone. "Thanks for lending me your mp3 player, I got to listen to something before I slept."

"No problem!" Demyx seemed delighted. "You can keep it, actually. It's an old one that I don't know what to do with. I'll bring you the charger sometime."

"Thanks!" Zexion was still surprised at how well he had been treated already, "So, I have a few classes with you? That's what Axel said anyway." He got up, putting his backpack back over his shoulders and walking steadily toward the door.

"Yep! I'll lend you a notebook if you don't already have one. I'm glad it's Friday, so that we get some time to get you supplies, if you haven't gotten any yet." He looked over at Axel. "See you, Ax!"

"Be good!" Axel winked back at them, and Demyx ushered Zexion out and closed the door behind them.

"I haven't gotten any yet, actually. I didn't have a lot of things left to bring before I got here." Zexion paused, realizing that Axel probably hadn't explained the situation to Demyx. He hoped he didn't tell Roxas, either… "I mean…I just…hadn't really had time to pack a lot of stuff."

"Yeah." Demyx nodded, still smiling. It was clear that he didn't catch on to what Zexion had been saying. "We're just gonna pick Roxas up and head to school."

They walked down the stairs to the bottom level apartments, Demyx knocking at the door of apartment 9. They waited awhile for the door to open, Demyx's hand suddenly on his chest, moving him gently back from the door just before it swung out and barely missed his face. Now he understood why Roxas had been having trouble opening Axel's door last night.

"Hey, Rox!" Demyx grinned. Roxas nodded and looked back into the apartment for a moment, giving Zexion déjà vu.

"See you mom." He called—the most words Zexion had ever heard him utter. He could hear a woman's answer in a far room before they stepped out toward the parking lot in the front.

Demyx's car was a station wagon, one that got them there much more quickly than Zexion had expected. Roxas was silent the entire ride, and Demyx shifted every once in a while as if he wanted to say something, but didn't know what. Zexion bit his lip and stared out the window for most of the ride.

When they got there Zexion walked just behind the other two, taking his time to look at the high school and its students. The school looked relatively new, and part of it looked as though it had a Plexiglas ceiling. He gripped his backpack straps with uncertainty, hoping no one in the school would give him a hard time.

At the doors they said goodbye to Roxas, Zexion a bit relieved to be away from the tension he felt around him. He hoped that Axel was right, and that Roxas would start talking more around him soon. He decided not to let it bother him for now.

"What's the deal between Axel and Roxas?" He looked over at Demyx, hoping that he would answer his question. He felt like it was something Axel would explain to him, though apparently he didn't feel it was important enough to.

"What do you mean?" Demyx looked at him, smiling. "Axel didn't talk to you about him?"

"Not really. Roxas was there when I arrived last night, but Axel didn't say very much about him except that he's quiet around new people." Zexion hoped he wasn't crossing into sensitive territory, but Demyx seemed unperturbed, both of them stopping in front of his locker as he started to work the padlock.

"That he is. Him and Axel though…they got together last year, or at least around then. Roxas and me were his first friends when he moved here, and it took them forever to finally realize that they were into each other." Demyx laughed and shook his head as he brought out a few books from his locker. "I think I was the only one who saw it."

"So…how old are you and Roxas, then?" Zexion frowned in thought, pushing his bangs behind his ear. He had turned seventeen last year, though it seemed a bit strange to him that Axel would make friends with people so much younger than he was.

"Ah…Roxas is eighteen, just turned it a month ago. I'm nineteen." Demyx blushed. "That's kind of old for a senior, I know…but I was held back thanks to getting pneumonia twice my freshman year. Not really an easy year to make up for someone fresh out of middle school."

"You're okay now, though?" Zexion was concerned. Usually people who had pneumonia so much later in life had plenty of other health problems.

"Totally fine. I haven't had anything serious since then, in fact." Demyx seemed proud of this, Zexion wondering if there was anything he wasn't saying. He decided it wasn't best to ask, both boys heading to their first class together, Zexion feeling the pinch of nerves once again as they entered the room and took their seats.


	3. Inkling

"So," Demyx began at lunchtime, handing Zexion half of his sandwich before digging into his own half. "Where did you come from, Zexion? Axel didn't tell us a thing about you before you moved here, except that you were his cousin, and a few other things." They were in the cafeteria, Zexion having survived his first three classes, actually kind of looking forward to the rest of his day. It was nice being around students again, and having things to worry about other than appearing as a witness in court. Roxas sat beside him, looking over interestedly as he ate ramen from a thermos.

"I used to live in Bi Vinolo." Zexion took a grateful bite of his sandwich, having realized by the end of the third period that a bowl of cereal was nowhere near enough for him to last through to lunchtime. He wasn't sure what else to say, chewing his sandwich thoughtfully.

"Yeah? Scary place. Is that why you moved here?" Demyx seemed amazed, and Zexion couldn't blame him. Bi Vinolo was a town where the crime rates rocketed, and getting mugged was easier than walking to the dollar store for a pack of gum.

"Um…sure." Zexion shrugged. He knew it wouldn't be appropriate of him to divulge his past in front of his two most recent classmates and friends, but he wasn't certain that they understood that it wouldn't be appropriate to probe him. Roxas looked at him strangely—he had been there last night, when Axel talked about guardianship papers and health insurance quotes. Not for long, maybe, but long enough to know that something more serious was going on.

"But…" Roxas spoke up, his hand paused over his ramen, looking at him in puzzlement. Zexion made a face, shaking his head slightly as Demyx looked back and forth between the two. Roxas seemed to think better and looked down into his noodles. "You must be relieved."

"Yeah." Zexion let out a breath, but he knew Demyx had seen something important pass between them. "Didn't Axel tell you that's where he moved from?"

"Well…" Demyx leaned back and thought, content to ignore what had happened for now. "That was a long time ago, when he moved here. Either he never told us, or when he did we didn't think much of it because we didn't understand how dangerous a place it was. I suppose I should have connected the dots there." He smiled, and Zexion couldn't help but smile back—Demyx's perpetually optimistic attitude was easy to adopt.

He had philosophy with Roxas, where he was surprised to find that, in participation, Roxas dominated the class. Zexion felt like a mouse in his wake, sitting next to him the whole time and taking notes as Roxas' hand went up again and again. He found it interesting that he seemed to be particularly passionate about homosexuality, which was one of the topics brought up in class several times.

"I think that anyone with an open mind and a desire to try something new could engage in homosexual acts." Roxas explained during one heated point of the conversation that Zexion had been paying avid attention to. "In fact, pop culture almost pressures youth to consider homosexuality for themselves."

"But why," The teacher quickly retaliated, a woman who Zexion rapidly discovered he did not like, "Would someone _want_ to be homosexual?"

The class waited for his reply, and Zexion looked at Roxas, who narrowed his eyes.

"Why not?" He chided her with a smirk.

Just then the bell rang with perfect timing, Zexion and the rest of the class buzzing with the new, fresh considerations that the class had presented to them. He followed Roxas out of the class, in awe of his classmate, at his guile that stood out strongly in favor of reason instead of cowardice to headstrong teachers.

"I'm glad I have that class with you." Zexion panted as tried to catch up with him on the way to gym, the last class of the day, one that he had with both Roxas and Demyx. Roxas just looked at him and smiled for a moment, and Zexion finally felt as though he was being acknowledged.

The Gym teacher picked out an older uniform for him, one that fit fine thanks to drawstring shorts. Heading into the locker room, Zexion had not considered the fact that every day he would be starting class with his fellow students in the nude, or at least close enough—some, he noticed, didn't bother wearing underwear at all that day.

He knew he could play it cool, as long as he kept control of his imagination. It wasn't long ago that he had noticed his preferences leaning toward the same sex, though he didn't have much time to think about it with so many things having happened so quickly before he moved to Twilight Town. But with the intense debate in philosophy to rouse his thoughts and suddenly being faced with so many shirtless boys, he couldn't help but start to consider things more seriously.

"You're gonna be fine in gym, Zexion." Demyx reassured him, clearly thinking that he was nervous about his performance during class.

"Thanks. I'll try."

Zexion got dressed quickly, a bit self conscious of his body—a few of the guys around here looked like they spent all day doing crunches. Even Demyx had a bit of muscle showing under his skin; something Zexion had no problem glancing at several times as he fixed up his laces. Zexion himself, however, was lean and flat as a board, and the only thing that peeked through his skin were his hips and a scar from a bullet on his shoulder that he hoped he wouldn't have to explain.

Apparently no one had explained to him that gym really meant racket sports—they spent most of the hour learning to serve a tennis ball, something that Zexion had never done in his life before now. Roxas seemed to have the hang of it, and Demyx was all over the place. Zexion was glad to know he wasn't the only one who struggled with it.

On their way home Roxas let Zexion sit in the passenger's seat, the blonde stretching out in the back and listening to his music peacefully. Demyx seemed happier to have someone who would actually talk with him in the front, Zexion a bit relieved that he wouldn't have to be staring out the windows silently the whole drive.

"Axel told us that you had a bit of a hard time before you moved here…" Demyx's voice was still cheery, though Zexion could tell he was aware that he was touching on a serious subject.

"Yeah, a bit. It wasn't too bad." Zexion knew toning it down now was probably a mistake, but he knew no one could blame him for it.

"You know if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm a pretty good listener." Zexion looked over at Demyx, who took his eyes off the road for a moment to glance at him and smile. "I know that Axel is your cousin and all, but sometimes you just need someone new to hear you out. Someone who can look at it without having any opinions, or feeling the need to tell you what to do."

Zexion continued to stare at Demyx, Roxas apparently oblivious to their conversation as they headed back to the apartments. It was something a bit strange, he realized, that Demyx could make him feel so comfortable despite his being practically a stranger. Plus he was good looking, which was a plus. He knew it shouldn't matter, but what was a little naïveté after being stuck without a social life for so long?

"Tomorrow I was going to get school supplies and clothes…I was going to go by myself, because Axel has work, and I thought that maybe he'd be too busy to come with me. But would you like to go? It might be boring…" Zexion began to stammer, realizing how lame his invitation was.

"Of course!" Demyx looked overjoyed at the prospect, though Zexion could not for the life of him figure out what was so exciting about picking out some clothes and notebooks. "I'll drive you and everything, and we can get food later."

"Sounds good." Zexion smiled. As they pulled into the parking lot of the apartment buildings. "I'll see you tomorrow then. I don't have a cell phone so just call Axel's." Zexion got out of the car, Roxas following closely behind him, taking his headphones off as they waved goodbye to Demyx.

"I always wait for Axel in his apartment." Roxas spoke up finally, Zexion having only just slid back into his silent mode. "I hope that's okay that I'm there. You're welcome to kick me out if you want to be alone for a while."

"I don't mind at all. You and Axel are pretty close, yeah?" They made their way to Axel's apartment, Roxas producing a key from his pocket and pushing it into the lock.

"Well, yeah. I figured he told you about us." Roxas let Zexion walk in first, both boys putting their backpacks on the kitchen table.

"Not really, but it might be weird for him, the idea of explaining that to his cousin. But Demyx told me a little about you guys." Roxas went over to the couch, and feeling a bit more comfortable around him, Zexion went to lean on the back of it.

"That's good, I guess." He turned the television on to cartoons. "Did you leave behind any girlfriends when you moved here?" Zexion laughed, one of the first genuine laughs he had gotten to have since he had arrived.

"No, I've never had a girlfriend, not even close." Roxas looked surprised.

"Boyfriend?"

"Nope." They both stared at the TV for a while, Zexion mulling a question over in his mind, wondering if it wouldn't be too strange if he asked Roxas what he was thinking.

"When you and Axel first got together, how did you know you liked him?" Zexion pushed his finger over a seam in the couch, biting his lip and looking down at his hands. Roxas didn't respond for a few moments, apparently to think.

"Well…I knew it was easy to be around him, so that was one base covered…" He put his feet up on the footrest, looking over at Zexion. "Then I thought about whether it would be easy to be around him, and not have to be talking all the time. That's important, and it was true for both of us. But," he smiled, in a way that made Zexion a little uncomfortable, "that's just friend stuff. You should be able to do that with all your close friends. So I thought about whether or not I'd like to have sex with him, and that pretty much settled it." Roxas chuckled while Zexion busied himself with trying his damndest not to let the image of Roxas and his cousin being together in _that way_ damage his brain.

"I see…well, thanks. I'm gonna go read now…if you need anything, just let me know." Zexion backed away for a moment, then turned to walk to his bedroom. Roxas called after him.

"Same to you, Zex." Zexion smiled awkwardly, wondering how it was that he had come across people he could talk to so easily here, and how it was that he was so lucky that they were becoming his friends.

* * *

**Just a quick A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for reading up till now. I can't believe people are actually paying attention to this story. Here are just a few things to update you and give you a little more insight! First of all, I'm trying to update the story every day. I don't know how long I'll be able to keep it up for, but with good luck I'll be able to finish the story in a timely manner. I.E. Not a taking a year. XD Second, things are about to get more intense! ...And then a little less intense. But intensity ensues, trust me! And I promise very soon that we'll get a little more clue as to what is going on with Zexion's past and what lead to him moving away from his home. (Bi Vinolo is an anagram, can you guess it? :3 hahaha) **

**Again, thanks so much for reading! Every favorite and follower gives me encouragement to continue. I hope I can deliver a good story! 3 **

**-Kyu**


	4. Remembering

_You were hiding in the closet, wishing you could lock it so no one else could come in after you. Mom had sent you upstairs—she had been in the kitchen, and had seen the men outside with their badly hidden revolvers, congregating near the apartment lobby. You both knew who they were there for. _

_ As you tried to cover yourself properly with coats, shoving boxes in front of yourself and turning your back toward the door, you hear them knocking downstairs. Someone must have known exactly where you were—meaning that you had never been safe here. You and mom were just sitting ducks, and your dad was the one to blame. _

_ A large bang, and you could hear the men shuffling in. You hoped mom was alright, and if you strained you could hear her voice, oddly calm among such a threatening group. They made their way upstairs, and their voices resonate loudly, dark and terrifying, as they explored every room. You began to tremble. _

_ Finally, you heard the dreaded sound of footsteps in your room. You stayed put, and as quiet as possible, trying to breath steadily despite your racing heart. _

_ "This is the last room, Mena. You have not cooperated with us in the least." You strained your ears. You could hear guns being cocked, revolvers being spun. _

_ "He's not here, I keep telling you. Victor left." _

_ "Yeah? So you wouldn't mind if we did this?" You heard a gunshot, then a scream, and suddenly you could feel pressure on your shoulder. You looked over, and with the light streaming into the closet through the bullet hole you could see blood on your shirtsleeve._

Zexion woke up in a sweat. This had been the first dream that had so clearly recounted the events leading up to his father's arrest, the memory vivid and frightening. He looked over at the clock, relieved that he wouldn't need any more sleep after seeing that it was past nine. He stood, stretching a bit and walking into the kitchen where Axel was frying scrambled eggs. The smell was delicious; nothing Zexion had eaten in the past few days had been cooked like this.

"Hey there, sunshine!" Axel proclaimed as Zexion sat at the counter, doling some eggs onto a plate with toast and handing it to him. He picked up a fork from the plate and admired them—the eggs he made always turned brown somewhere along the line, but these were light and fluffy. No brown at all. But what could he expect from an assistant chef?

"Hey. Did Roxas leave?" Zexion began to eat, pleasantly surprised that he didn't need any salt, piling some of the egg onto his toast.

"Roxas leaves every night at eleven, except for Saturdays. Can't believe his mom lets him sleep over at all, to be honest." Axel grinned, and Zexion noticed with humor how very out of place his spikes looked that morning.

"Well, he's eighteen, isn't he? He should be able to make that decision on his own." Zexion smiled. "Why is it that you didn't tell me about you two in the first place? Roxas isn't bashful at all when it comes to…sharing…" He chuckled into his eggs and toast.

"I dunno. I didn't want to freak you out in case you weren't used to that kind of thing. That and it would be weird if I told you 'hey Zexion, me and Roxas make out every night' as soon as you walked in the door. There were more important things to talk about with you, y'know?" Axel sat next to him, glancing at something on the television.

"Yeah." Zexion chewed his food thoughtfully, thinking about his plans for that day. "Demyx is really nice."

"Isn't he? He was my first friend when I moved to Twilight Town. He's pretty much perfect for people who need a first friend—and he was totally up to helping you out if you needed it. How did he do yesterday?"

"He was fun to have in class…especially gym." Zexion tried not to think about Demyx's chest again, pitifully covered by his flimsy gym uniform. "He really…I don't know. Normally I'm shy around new people. Not like Roxas, but still—around him, though, I almost forgot that I didn't know him very well."

"That's great." Axel seemed genuinely happy for him, finishing his toast and taking their empty plates over to the sink. "You're almost officially part of our crew now."

"Crew?" Zexion laughed, out of amusement for the name and the fact that he could be a part of something that even _had_ a title in the first place. Axel pouted sarcastically but soon joined him in laughing, the sound familiar and warm. Zexion was glad that the dream wasn't interrupting his thoughts much, glad that the horror he felt at the memory stayed only within the memory—at least, for now, it did.

"I guess that is pretty lame." Axel wiped a tear from his eye.

"That reminds me though; Demyx says he'll take me to get some clothes and supplies today. Soon, actually." Demyx had called earlier to confirm their time at ten.

"Really? I thought I was bringing you." Axel looked confused, and Zexion felt a pang of guilt.

"I thought you had work…actually before I invited him I thought I was going to have to go by myself." Zexion bit his lip, hoping Axel wouldn't be too disappointed.

"Hmm…" he seemed deep in thought. "The truth is, that works out great for me. If I get to work early, I can come home early, which means more Roxas time." Zexion almost laughed again, but the earnestness with which Axel said it stopped him.

"Well good, I thought I had made a mistake." Zexion said with relief. "I'm going to get ready."

"I'll give you some money." Axel grabbed his wallet off the counter, but Zexion stopped him quickly.

"I have my own money, don't worry. You've done enough for me as it is, plus—I've been saving up for almost a year. I'm sure I have enough for some clothing." It was true; before all the trouble with his father started he had a part time job on the safe side of town, putting most of the money he earned for the year he worked underneath a loose floorboard in the kitchen. He was more grateful than anything that no one had found the money when he had to quit in order to keep his mom company.

"I shouldn't let you spend that, Zex…" Axel was reluctant, still gripping his wallet and looking at Zexion's determined expression. "…Fine. But I don't want to hear anything about paying for food or rent or crap like that. We may live in a small apartment, but thanks to that I have a lot more to put in savings accounts. I don't want you goin' around, thinking that you have to pay for everything."

"Thanks." Zexion smiled and ran into his room to get dressed.

Demyx was there in no time, him and Axel exchanging a few words before they were out the door and on their way to the mall. It was a bit further than Zexion had anticipated, and seeing the people outside and noticing how clean the streets were, he began to feel how safe Twilight Town actually was. Demyx talked and laughed the whole way there, making Zexion giggle embarrassingly with his jokes. By now he had completely forgotten about the dream.

Getting the supplies was easy—Demyx knew everything he'd need for the four classes they had together, and Zexion could figure out the rest. Finally with his stack of supplies he felt better prepared, more capable to shield his academically vulnerable mind with the armor of paper and pencils to aid him. They stuck everything in the car and walked to the outlets where the clothing and food was.

"You look good in that." Demyx remarked as Zexion stepped out of the changing room to show him a rather nice, professional looking shirt complete with a vest to go over it. He glanced at himself in the mirror, raising his arms awkwardly. He had never owned a shirt like this, only ever wearing t-shirts and the occasional sweater.

"You've said that for everything." Zexion looked back at Demyx, beginning to question his credibility when it came to how good he looked in new clothes.

"Well that's because you look good in everything! It's not my fault you go from normal to dashing just by trying on a new shirt." Demyx crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair and tugging on his bangs. Zexion wanted to laugh at his small overreaction, wondering how someone could be so easygoing around someone like himself.

"Dashing? Really?" Zexion raised an eyebrow. As ridiculous as the compliment was, he liked the idea that he could look less pathetic than he had felt lately. He couldn't believe how quickly he was adapting to people who were happy; who seemed to barely have any issues, or at least were optimistic about it.

"Totally." Demyx grinned, "I don't know if you've noticed, but you're a pretty good looking guy." He stood, walking up behind him and sliding his fingers onto his forehead, lifting up his bangs. "See? Look at that!" Zexion wasn't used to seeing his face bare, and he was a bit unnerved that Demyx could come so close so easily.

"Demyx!" Zexion waved his hand away, ducking out under him and going back into the stall, shedding the shirt and hanging it up. "I think I'll get it then." He said after a moment's thought, putting on the shirt he came in with and bringing out the rest of the shirts he had picked out—which had amounted to quite a few once they had reached the bargain rack. "I'm done now! Lunch?"

At lunch Zexion had insisted on paying for Demyx's food, to pay him back for the sandwich they had split yesterday. Demyx reluctantly agreed. More and more Zexion was astonished at how easily Demyx could come within his personal space, with no qualms whatsoever. He treated him like he had known him for a much longer time than he let off. Though, he thought, as Demyx leaned on him and looked up at the menu in the food court, he wasn't sure if he was ready to let anyone come that close to him yet. Thinking this he shoved him off gently, playfully, hoping Demyx would understand.

"Tonight Axel says Roxas is sleeping over." Zexion mentioned as they sat down with their trays, Demyx taking no time at all to dig in to his food. "I'm a little bit nervous about that."

"I would be too." Demyx laughed, "Not that they're too much to handle when they're around each other, but I guess having to be in the next room when you're trying to sleep isn't the most appealing idea." Zexion blushed. It was embarrassing, and nothing had made him feel more like he was intruding on someone else's life more than what Demyx had just described. "You could stay over at my house tonight, if you want."

"Thanks…but I think I need to stay at Axel's. I'm just trying to get used to the new room." Zexion ate one of his fries deep in thought. "Does it ever feel weird to you, that your closest friends are together?" Demyx pursed his lips, moving them from side to side comically.

"Not really…not when they're so well suited to each other. Plus I had more time to adjust than they did—like I said before, I saw it coming." Zexion was glad that Demyx didn't feel awkward around them, hoping that he could learn not to feel awkward too. Roxas really was the only person he was nervous being around, but he knew that would change with the help of philosophy class.

"Thanks, Demyx." Zexion said suddenly, Demyx looking at him in question.

"For?"

"Just…you're very easy to talk to. I'm having a much better time than I thought I would when I left." Zexion smiled, "I'm looking forward to the rest of the semester with you."

"Well…you're welcome! And hopefully," He nudged him a little, Zexion choosing not to counter it this time, "I can get to know you a little more."


	5. Outburst

Arriving home, Demyx helped Zexion in carrying his things into his room, Zexion taking care in hanging his clothes up after Demyx surprised him with the charger he promised to bring for the mp3 player. They had passed Axel and Roxas, busy and attached to each other as they watched a movie that Zexion had never seen. Inside his room Zexion started to feel a little nervous about his clothes, hoping that he didn't feel ridiculous when he came to school wearing them. They weren't as laid back as what he was used to, but with the comfort in mind that Roxas wore similar clothing, he satisfied himself with the reassurance that he wouldn't get any extra attention simply for his clothes.

"You're gonna look sharp next week." Demyx winked, bringing the packets of loose leaf paper out of the plastic shopping bags and unwrapping them, before putting them neatly into binders. "Are they at all like any of your other clothes?"

"Not really. Mostly I stuck with t-shirts." Zexion replied offhandedly, pulling the tags off of the jeans that he had purchased and folding them. Demyx nodded, and he could tell that he wasn't very satisfied with such short answers.

"What was your other school like?" He pressed, pulling out a sharpie and labeling his notebooks.

"Like Twilight, but…dingier…" Zexion didn't really want to think about it much, but he knew Demyx was too curious to stop it from happening.

"Did you leave behind any friends?" Demyx looked at him when he asked this, stacking his papers and notebooks up at the corner of his desk.

"Um…there weren't many people there that I was close to…" Zexion thought of a few people he had met, people who had clearly made an effort to know him but hadn't succeeded very well—Larxene, who was too mean-spirited for Zexion to feel comfortable around her. Marluxia, who Zexion shied away from when he learned he was experimenting with drugs.

The only person who he remembered in a positive light was a teacher, Lexaeus, who insisted on students calling him by his first name. Despite his kind nature it was still rather embarrassing to look back upon him without realizing that the feelings he had when he saw him were symptoms of a crush. The idea disturbed him a bit; however, even though Lexaeus was one of the teacher assistants, he found it extremely odd for any student to like a teacher in that way.

"That's good, I guess…I mean, if you look at it like—there were less people for you to leave." Demyx smiled softly and Zexion could see his point of view, shrugging and standing up as he looked around the room, everything put neatly in its place. He glanced at Demyx and he could see that another question was on the tip of his tongue, but Zexion spoke before he could say anything else.

"Want to go and bother Axel and Roxas? Maybe see what they're watching?" He asked, Demyx's smile becoming broader.

"Sounds good to me." They walked into the living room where Axel and Roxas still sat, Roxas on the couch with Axel on the floor between his legs, letting Roxas massage his neck. Both looked over as the two entered, Roxas giving them a muttered 'hey' before turning his attention back to the television screen.

Demyx walked to the couch, urging Roxas and Axel to move to the side and tugging Zexion down to sit next to him. Zexion shifted to get comfortable, feeling a little strange sitting so close to Demyx on the little couch. He folded his hands in his lap, Demyx leaning towards him with his arm on the top of the couch, supporting his head on his hand.

As Zexion tried to make sense of the plot of the movie they had only just started watching, he began to sink into the couch more comfortably, his muscles relaxing. After he got over the closeness, something he was surprised he could get used to at all, it actually began to feel quite nice. No one talked, everyone simply enjoying each other's presence…just like close friends ought to be able to do.

Over the next week Zexion slowly felt like he was getting used to the school and its students. Every day he became more and more in awe of Roxas' ability to reason in philosophy, more accustomed to and even fond of Demyx's friendly ways, and more flustered by the sights the gym class locker room had to offer.

Finally he had given up on trying to ignore the effects the naked bodies had on him, taking one morning in the shower to pleasure himself, thinking of torsos both smooth and muscled and wondering what it would be like to touch one, what it might feel like if another man kissed him. It was clear that girls were of little to no interest to him and his libido, the activity becoming a daily ritual, his thoughts veering from form to form. Eventually, they became fantasies. One morning as he stroked himself, unbearably close to climax, Demyx slipped into his thoughts—and he made no effort to push him out.

His new-found method of relief seemed to be working well, his emotions every day easier to control when he went into the locker room. The only setback was that Demyx was becoming more difficult not to ogle, causing Zexion to collect little bits of shame in his mind knowing that Demyx would probably not prefer to hear about how he was becoming slightly obsessed with the curvature of his back, or with the light trail of hair extending from his bellybutton.

Despite this, he found school to be manageable—most classes rather easy, excluding Calculus. English was rather engaging, and Zexion found himself paired up with Demyx often thanks to their seating. Even in math, the only class he had without either Demyx or Roxas, he had managed to find a friend who understood the subject much better than he did. A girl named Naminé had befriended him, and often took time to explain to him in her gentle voice the things that he didn't understand the first time. And many times after that. He was grateful for her patience, Naminé only ever stopping her explanations to blow her blonde hair out of her eyes, or push her glasses onto the top of her forehead.

The lull of a daily routine was broken; however, the Tuesday after Zexion had finished his first full week of school at Twilight. Psychology class was rousing as usual, the day's topic having switched back and forth between the state of killers and victims, the class handed an article about several murder cases that seemed to have a few things in common. It wasn't something Zexion was particularly interested in, and looking at Roxas it seemed that he was taking a break from raising his hand as well. It wasn't long, though, until the dialogue became impossible to ignore.

"When you look at the article, and see the victim's behaviors before the murder, it's almost as if the victims _wanted_ to become victims." The teacher's remarks earned a few stares of confusion, but she carried on regardless. "It's so strange that they would go out so late at night, in a part of this particular town that was clearly dangerous."

"It's a little difficult to avoid the dangerous parts of town if most of your town is dangerous." Zexion cut in, surprising himself. It was odd, the way her words seemed to sting him, as if he knew each and every person the article had mentioned.

"True. But couldn't you say, with so many similarities of such different cases, seeing how these men and women made their choices just before they were murdered, that they were practically asking for it?"

Something in him snapped.

"Asking for it!" The decibel of his voice raised sharply, and Roxas jumped beside him in response, the rest of the class turning their collective gaze upon him in shock. "Are you going to ask the child who was born into a town where the rate of homicide is more than fifty five if he was _asking _for it? Are you going to go to the scene of the crime and ask that of a woman whose home was broken into, where she was brutally shot before she even knew what was going on! No one asks for it, not everyone can simply escape from the town that could end up being the cause of their death!"

The classroom was quiet, the teacher looking at him in consideration, swiveling her chair from side to side and crossing her arms. Roxas stared at him as he gripped the desk, which was the only thing stopping him from shaking violently. Finally the bell rang, students shuffling quickly to avoid any more of the conversation that had so bored them up until now.

Roxas followed Zexion out into the hall, grabbing his arm just as they reached Demyx's locker, which he shared with Zexion. Demyx hadn't gotten there yet, giving Roxas time to speak before he did.

"Zexion, are you okay?"

"I don't know." He answered shortly, realizing how much he had overreacted. "I lost control…"

"Listen," Roxas leaned against the unused lockers to his side as Zexion turned to him, "She does that all the time, when people start to get bored of the subject. She doesn't really believe most of the stuff she says; she just says it to provoke us."

"S-Should I apologize?"

"No, it's not your fault that she does that. It should show her that she needs to stop." Roxas gripped his books, looking up at Zexion in concern. "And it's not your fault that you come from such a rough background."

"You know about that?" Zexion swallowed, a lump forming in his throat.

"Only from whatever you've told me. But in any case…I think you should talk to Axel about this." Roxas reached up, squeezing his shoulder, though Zexion felt almost numb to it. He pushed his hair out of his face for a minute, frowning, Demyx suddenly joining them.

"Hey, guys!" He said cheerfully, though it didn't take him long to catch on to the atmosphere. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"I think it's something we need to leave alone for now, okay Demyx?" Roxas' voice was firm, Demyx nodding after a few moments. Zexion hoped he wouldn't feel left out, but he didn't feel like recounting his sudden anger issue as they walked to gym class.

The locker room didn't seem as interesting that day.

* * *

**A/N: Haha aw, didn't mean to make this chapter so much of a downer. His teacher is a jerk, amirite? I would even go so far as to say unrealistically so, if her comments hadn't been inspired by things one of my teachers has proposed in a class very much similar to their philosophy class. (Life experience, ftw?) Anyway. Hopefully things are getting more interesting! I've really appreciated your reviews so far, and encouragement! And to provide another hint for Bi Vinolo: The place it's anagrammed from has very, _very_ much to do with Org. XIII. c: **


	6. Repeat

_You gasp in shock, looking at your bleeding shoulder, only beginning to contemplate how lucky it was that you had chosen to hide in the nook of the closet that extended to the side. Clearly no one had known about it. You can hear mom struggling on the other side of the door, then more gunshots as your closet is destroyed by weaponry. You flatten yourself against the side of the closet, closing your eyes and wondering if you were going to die._

_ Your ears were ringing, unable to hear the screams, or the yells, and soon after you were practically deaf to the gunshots. It was a miracle that no others hit you, except one that chipped away at the side of your shoe, barely missing your foot. _

_ Through the vibrations of the floor you could hear many of them leaving, and you were terrified, too afraid to move. Minutes passed, and slowly your hearing returned, though sounds manifested themselves distantly, as if you were outside eavesdropping. _

_ "Check the body." A man's voice, then footsteps leaving his room. A groan, and you knew someone was coming closer, causing you to tremble. A foot kicked the door in, wood shavings crumbling to the ground, the knob hitting the floor with a ringing metallic thud. _

_ You could say nothing as a man's face peeked in, long red hair hanging limp over his shoulders, his face decorated with an eye patch. He caught sight of you within seconds, eyebrows rising, and a cigarette you hadn't seen until now almost falling from his lips._

_ "Kid, what th'fuck are you doing here?" He hissed, your voice remaining unused, blood soaked through your shirtsleeve. The redhead groaned again, clutching his forehead with one hand and looking behind him quickly, as if unsure what to do with his discovery. You thought for sure that he would shoot you on sight, but obviously something was stopping him. _

_ "You know I have to kill you now, right, kid?" He whispered, "'Cept I don't have any bullets left. And stranglin' someone is messy work." You were confused. What was keeping him from doing his job? "It'd be easier, though, if I could just tell 'em that there was no one here in the first place. Wouldn't make sense, unless," He stared at him with meaning, "Unless there really was no one here." _

_ "Aren't you supposed to kill me?" Your voice finally found its way back onto your tongue, but the movement felt foreign. _

_ "You don't look like Victor to me." _

_ You sat there, eyes wide, muscles twitching. Your shoulder began to scream with pain, and you gasped, making to clutch it but the man stopped you, grabbing your hand. _

_ "Don't touch that, I guarantee you you'll regret it. Now are you gonna get the fuck outta here, or what?" He yanked you up until you were standing; dazed, confused at how you could even stand so squarely on your feet. _

_ "Mom…" You mutter, and he shakes his head._

_ "Don't go looking for her, now. It'll just undo everything I'm doing and you'll wind up dead. I'm gonna say this one last time—get the fuck out." _

_ It wasn't far down the fire escape, and looking up you weren't sure how you had gotten there. But when you realized that no one was around, no one was following you, and the only person you could see was the redheaded man in the window…_

_ You ran. _

Zexion woke up, out of breath, his shoulder stinging as if the wound was fresh. It was dark out, the clock blaring 6:30 am. He shrugged inwardly; it was as good a time as any, he supposed, to be up. Sliding out of bed he wondered how his dream had played out the memory for so long. He had forgotten that he was in shock, really—he had forgotten most of what had happened after the barrage of gunshots to his closet, destroying all of his clothing and many other things inside.

This morning he didn't feel much like a shower, still bothered by what had happened yesterday in philosophy, feeling a bit unstable on his feet as he wandered into the kitchen. To his surprise Axel was there, looking up at him over a cup of coffee, his red hair almost the exact shade of the man in his dream.

"Hey, Zexion!" He smiled, though his eyebrows drew closer together as he saw how miserable he looked. "What's going on, kiddo?"

"I need to talk to you about something, Axel…" He hoisted himself up onto a stool on the other side of the kitchen counter, facing Axel and brushing his fingers through his hair. "Roxas said I should…I think he's right."

"Yeah? I'm all ears." Axel shifted forward, sliding his mug of coffee to the side and leaning onto the counter.

"I'm having a hard time…lately…with some stuff that keeps coming up." He frowned as he tried to get his thoughts straight, shaking his head and suddenly wishing that he hadn't brought it up. "I've had a couple dreams, of some stuff that's happened. A lot of stuff I forgot."

"You mean when you were shot?"

"Yeah. It only grazed me though." Zexion corrected, though knowing that it really didn't matter. "And yesterday in philosophy I got pissed off at the teacher. At some stuff she said about victims…I don't know. It freaked me out though."

"I see." Axel folded his hands, looking serious, an expression that didn't suit him well when knowing that no wry grin was to follow.

"Everything's catching up to me, you know? I thought I was going to be fine when I came here, but apparently my mind thinks I should relive everything. Or at least the parts that I want to forget about." Zexion couldn't understand why he didn't feel like he felt in his dreams, his shock only coming in bursts apparently—like in class. He rubbed his forehead.

"I'm glad you told me, Zexion." Axel reassured him, "I think I know what's happening to you...all of that stuff kind of happened all at once, right?" Zexion nodded. "You haven't had enough time to cope with it, and you're just trying to figure out how to do it while adjusting to life here."

"Sounds right…" Zexion muttered. What Axel said did make perfect sense. He must still have a bit of shock still to deal with. "It's getting a little hard. At first everything felt perfectly normal, but now it's like every time something happens, I start forgetting about the things I've been enjoying about living here." Axel nodded, stroking his chin.

"Why don't you take the day off, Zexion? I'll call you in, Roxas and Demyx can bring you the homework. It'll be good for you." Axel stood, drinking the rest of his coffee and putting the mug in the sink. "You said you were all caught up last week, I'm sure you could miss a day and be fine."

"Yeah…I think I will." Zexion wouldn't have normally done it, but he felt too exhausted to entertain himself with the idea of actually dragging his feet to school only to stave off falling asleep on his desk for the majority of the day.

"Wanna go back to bed?"

"Not really…" Zexion studied the minute cracks in the tiles on the counter. "I'll wait till later when the dream isn't gonna happen again." He pushed away from the counter and grabbed the blanket on the couch, wrapping it around himself and sitting in front of the TV and turning it on. The sounds were nice to hear, Zexion calmed at having something else to think about, not really sure how to deal with his memories quite yet.

Behind him Axel cleaned up a bit and got ready for work, the noise of routine soothing, and by the time Axel had left the apartment Zexion had fallen asleep with his head on the arm of the couch.


	7. Visit

"Zexion?"

Demyx's voice woke him, Zexion breathing in deeply and blinking his eyes open. Demyx was leaning against the back of the couch, looking down at him with a smile. Zexion sat up, rubbing his forehead and pushing his hair out of his face, his cheeks and forehead burning from prolonged sleep.

"Hey, Demyx." He said groggily, trying to figure out how long he had slept. It had to be at least three-thirty, the bright sun illuminating the curtains that covered the windows. Demyx smelled faintly of gym class and something he didn't recognize, something sharp—a bit like cologne. It was pleasant, and a refreshing feeling washed over him, Zexion suddenly quite glad that he was there.

"You been sleeping all day?" He came around to the front of the couch and sat at the end, facing him. Zexion crossed his legs, leaning against the couch. It was amazing how tired you could get even after so much sleep.

"Yeah, I guess I have been." He would have blushed at the way Demyx smiled at him, but his face was still warm from before. "I didn't know I was going to."

"Axel said that you've been going through some things, I don't blame you." Demyx nudged his foot against Zexion's leg, Zexion noting with amusement that Demyx had chosen mismatching socks today. "Want to tell me what happened yesterday in class?"

"I don't know if I do…" Zexion contemplated it. Axel knew, but he was allowed to know most things about him. Roxas knew…if anything, that would be good reason to clue Demyx in. But why was he thinking so hard about something that he should just be forgetting? "It's not a big deal, really. I got a bit angry in philosophy, and kind of took it out on the teacher. Though really it was only weird because I don't normally talk in there."

"You took it out on her? What do you mean?" Demyx leaned forward, his expression concerned. Zexion felt guilty—he was making everyone give him strange worried expressions lately.

"I just lost my temper at something she said, really. I criticized her. Roxas told me, though, that sometimes she says things just so she can get us angry." Zexion ran his nails gently over his forearm, something he did that felt good, to distract himself when he was thinking deeply about something. "I'm kind of embarrassed about it now…and it probably doesn't look good that I didn't even show up for class today."

"She sounds like a bitch to me. I'm sure it's not the first time that's happened, either." Demyx leaned his head on his hand, rubbing his thumb over his ear. "I used to do that all the time."

"Really?" Zexion was awake now, leaning forward in interest.

"W-Well," Demyx's cheeks went a little red, "I was like, six, but I remember having yelling matches with my teachers."

"Ahh…" Zexion felt a bit disappointed—every kid threw temper tantrums.

"I did it a lot more than any other kid, and I think I spent half of first grade in the office. The problem was, though, that my teachers could never take me seriously. I remember most of the time they ended up laughing at me." Demyx shook his head, smiling broadly.

"Laughing at you? That doesn't sound like any way to treat a child."

"Well look at it this way." Demyx frowned for a moment, revealing to Zexion some ridiculous pouty face, his eyes getting big. "Imagine this face, but six years old."

In his mind's eye Zexion saw a young Demyx, his face red, eyes tearful and wide, frowning and frustrated. Demyx was right—it _was _hilarious, Zexion unable to resist laughing loudly at the image. Demyx laughed along with him, Zexion wondering how a small, anger-issues child could turn into someone as kind and optimistic as him.

"You know though," Demyx continued, pushing his hair back a little with his fingers, "you might look tired, but you also look better than yesterday. Are you coming to school tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I think so. I was just losing some sleep, that's all. I don't think I could have handled gym without a few more hours." He laughed. "Or ten."

"Think you're even going to be able to sleep tonight?" Demyx shifted closer, Zexion suddenly self-conscious about the fact that he was still in his boxers and a T-shirt.

"Probably. I still feel pretty tired." Zexion frowned for a moment, realizing something. "Hey, why isn't Roxas here?" Usually by now the blonde was sitting on the couch, watching some cartoon.

"He came in with me actually, but when he saw you he decided that he'd come over later. I stayed because I wanted to make sure you were okay. Yesterday was strange…last time something serious happened, it was because of me. But that was a long time ago." He waved it back as if he wanted to ignore it, but Zexion couldn't help but become curious.

"Something serious happened to you?" He was nervous, not knowing whether or not he was hitting something sensitive, though obviously it wasn't sensitive enough for Demyx not to mention it. Demyx took a few moments to consider it, as if he wasn't sure whether he wanted to tell Zexion yet or not.

"I just had some health problems. When I was a freshman I took classes to be a lifeguard, but…" Demyx looked genuinely sad now, as if lifeguarding classes had been just that important to him, "…I hit my head during a lesson and ended up breathing in a lot of water. I didn't know that you could drown even after you were out of the pool, but I guess the water stays there until you go to the hospital and they take it out."

"B-But you're okay? How?" Zexion forgot that it was almost five years later, feeling a pang in his chest as if it had just happened.

"Well, I passed out again and my parents took me to the hospital. Just in time, too, because I guess I could have stayed unconscious for a lot longer because of it. I was fine, but I got pneumonia after that, and I was told that I couldn't go swimming until I was free of it for at least eight months. I pretty much gave up swimming after that." Demyx ran his finger along a thread on the couch, biting the inside of his cheek.

"Are you scared of it?"

"No. I just haven't felt like it." He sighed, and Zexion realized that this was the first time he had ever seen Demyx looking so sad. "But! It's no big deal. I was able to go back to school and now I'm finally graduating! And that's a good cause to be happy if you ask me."

"Yeah! Yeah, it really is." Zexion smiled, but he couldn't shake the need to reach forward and comfort him, because it was clear that it was still something that saddened him deeply.

"You know what would make me really happy?" Demyx seemed to brighten up, Zexion glad that he did—out of all of the sadness he had to feel; it was the strangest with Demyx, someone who he had grown used to being his biggest source of happiness.

"W-What?"

"If sometime this weekend, or maybe even next week, you could come over. It's been weird at home without Roxas over, and I need someone to beat at Mario Kart." Demyx winked, making Zexion laugh. He had never seen something as dorky as a wink suit someone so well.

"I'd like that. It sounds like a lot of fun." Zexion felt so overjoyed at the invitation, he had almost completely forgotten about last night, or even yesterday—as if they were events that barely mattered anymore. Maybe, he hoped, they could stay that way.

"Saturday, then?" Demyx stood, stretching his arms out. Zexion nodded, standing as well, feeling extremely hungry. He had forgotten all about food, too tired to eat that morning and too distracted by Demyx's visit. "I'll come pick you up at one."

"Sounds good." He smiled. He had never been over to another friend's house before, save Axel's when they were little kids. Now he could go and do friend stuff, and learn about someone beside himself for a change. The idea thrilled him.

"I gotta go now, though. If I don't I'll never get my homework done, and I don't want to cancel Saturday because of that." He chuckled, walking to the door. "See you tomorrow morning, then?"

"Yeah! See you." Zexion watched as Demyx shut the door behind him, waving, going to the kitchen and pulling out a bucket of strawberries. He turned the television on, making himself comfortable and beginning to demolish a good portion of the strawberry bucket, Axel having bought it after Zexion told him it was his favorite snack. As he settled in his peaceful environment, still giddy from talking to Demyx, he started to wonder vaguely what it would be like to kiss him.

* * *

**A/N: Eheheheheheheehehehehehe~**


	8. Catharsis

Zexion knew he needed advice. To try to keep his mind off of his last dream and any possible dreams to come he pondered the only other thing that he thought might be a source of trouble—his growing crush on Demyx. He felt juvenile thinking about it, but with a good portion of his teenage years robbed it almost felt good to indulge in thoughts that had nothing to do with wondering whether anyone was going to knock on his door today, and who that person might be. Knowing this he only needed to figure out from who he needed advice; Roxas, or Axel?

Axel was his first thought. After all, they were cousins, and Axel clearly knew something about having feelings for someone of the same sex. But the more he thought about it, the more he felt that he wasn't sure he would be comfortable asking advice from his cousin, someone who was supposed to feel concerned about his well-being. Axel seemed laid back, but he didn't think he could risk exposing to him that he had a crush on one of his best friends when he wasn't even sure it was serious.

Roxas made a little more sense. He knew about being with someone older, and probably about someone who he wasn't even sure could have the capacity to like him back—Axel, who had turned fourteen just before he moved, talked an awful lot about girls to Zexion. Zexion really didn't understand their appeal then, and the feeling certainly hadn't changed.

But Zexion needed to know what to do. What would happen if he just told Demyx? The idea seemed simple, but also a surefire way to make things awkward between them. First he needed to know if he really was having feelings for him, or if it was just the effect of so much tension built up from class and Demyx's natural kindness always making him feel good about himself.

On Friday, Zexion waited until class was over and Demyx had dropped them off at their apartment building, both boys relieving themselves of their backpacks on the kitchen table and sitting on the couch. Normally Zexion would go to start some homework in his room, but he had found the previous afternoon that he felt a lot better to unwind and be around someone rather than sit in his room by himself. They sat in silence for a while, Roxas flipping channels idly until something interesting came on. Lately it was the cooking channel. Finally during a commercial break Zexion gathered the courage to talk—something he had found a bit hard to do since his outburst on Tuesday in philosophy.

"Roxas, can I ask you something?" He asked tentatively, feeling a little ridiculous for some reason.

"You just did." Ah, that was why. "But you can ask me another thing."

"I was just wondering if I could get a little advice. About Demyx." Zexion shifted uncomfortably, wondering if this was a bad idea. Was Roxas going to think he was stupid? Zexion did just as well in school as he did, but when it came to interpersonal relationships Zexion was painfully inexperienced. Roxas paused the television, turning to him and suddenly becoming very interested.

"Demyx?"

"Yeah." Zexion swallowed, his throat going dry. "I don't know where to start…Lately I've been thinking a lot about if I like guys or girls. I didn't have a lot of time to think about it before I moved here and started high school again, and now that I'm able to it's become pretty obvious where my preferences lean."

"Toward the guys?" Roxas had some kind of half-smile going on, and Zexion could see he knew where this was going.

"Pretty much." Zexion was surprised when Roxas chuckled, shaking his head.

"What are the chances, really? I mean, I thought it was lucky enough between me and Axel, but you too? Not that I couldn't tell." Blushing, Zexion quickly looked at his hands. He didn't expect Roxas to react this way, making it harder for him to cut to the chase.

"Y-Yeah…Wait—You could tell?" Zexion furrowed his eyebrows. If Roxas knew, then maybe Demyx realized it too.

"Well yeah." Roxas calmed himself quickly, "Being quiet around people at first makes it easy to observe things about them. I know I must sound like a jerk saying this, but it wasn't hard to catch your stares in the locker room, you know? But if it makes you feel any better, I don't think Demyx noticed once when you were staring at him."

"So you saw that too, huh?" Zexion pushed his bangs back, scratching his arm gently. "I guess I need to learn to be more subtle." He felt embarrassed, forgetting the possibility that his furtive glances and light blushes in gym could be easily seen by someone who was looking for them.

"Don't worry about it, Zexion." Roxas leaned forward a bit, patting him on the knee amiably. "I don't think any less of you for it. You wouldn't believe the things I looked at when I realized I liked men. Do you know how many magazines there are out there catering to people like us? A _lot._" Zexion laughed, wondering how Roxas could speak so openly when only two weeks ago he barely spoke a work to him.

"I never thought about that." He murmured, wondering if he could get his hands on any of these magazines. It would be nice if for once he didn't have to make an effort to conceal his appreciation for the male body.

"So what was it that you needed advice on? It certainly sounds like something I could help with." Roxas folded his hands in his lap, something Zexion noticed he did when he was thinking deeply on a subject.

"I'm just not sure if there's some step I'm supposed to take now. I think I'm getting some sort of crush on Demyx, but I don't know if it's because he's one of the first people to be so nice to me, or if it's because I'm just realizing that I'm allowed to be attracted to whoever I want."

"I see. Were you not allowed to be before you came here?" Roxas frowned.

"It's not that—I just never really got the chance to think about it. Now I have a lot more time where I can think about things…" Zexion refrained from specifying which things, but it was clear Roxas got the picture.

"Well," Roxas paused, mulling it over, "You've only known Demyx for like…two weeks. It really could just be that he's nice, and has a good body, and sooner or later you might figure out that he's not your type." Zexion nodded, glad that Roxas was seeing things his way. "But if I were you I wouldn't give up on the feeling right away…Demyx is a great guy. You could do a lot worse."

"Should I tell him?"

"Not yet. But you should spend more time with him out of class. He's really an interesting person, and there's a lot about him you might or might not appreciate when you learn about it." Roxas sounded like a counselor, Zexion decided, but it only gave him all the more respect for him than he had before.

"Sounds good to me. Do you know if Demyx likes men too?" Zexion couldn't help but ask, though it was rather important to know.

"I have no idea. Since I've known him—and that's a long time, mind you—he's never mentioned it once to me, or been able to give me a straight answer about anything when it comes to stuff like this. But—" he paused meaningfully, "I will tell you one thing that will work in your favor. Demyx hasn't really connected much with people since he started high school. Mostly he stuck with me and Axel and hasn't ever bothered to open himself up since. When you came around, however, he's been all excited to have you here. He acted really cooperative for Axel before you got here, but I knew he wasn't looking forward to it. It appears he's changed his mind though." Roxas pursed his lips in thought, but his words lifted Zexion's heart.

"Really? I thought he was nice to everyone." Zexion remarked eagerly.

"He is. But he told me how you were going over to play video games with him tomorrow, and I haven't heard of him inviting anyone to his house but me and Axel since…well. When he hit his head in the pool and stopped swimming."

"That was a big deal, huh?" Zexion felt saddened again, though he had to admit it was nice to be able to know that he wasn't the only person dealing with something in their lives.

"Well yeah. Demyx had always been a natural when it came to swimming. He was moved up classes constantly. That's actually how he met Axel—they were in the same swimming class when he moved here, and since Demyx was so lanky he thought that he was the oldest kid there. I remember when we were hanging out and he found out that Demyx was almost two years younger than him. That was a funny day." Roxas laughed, the first time Zexion had heard him do so.

"You know…that actually reminds me." Zexion mused, "I've been wondering how you and Axel ended up dating." Roxas took a minute to think, the contemplation only interesting Zexion further.

"Well…Axel and I weren't really the best of friends until I started high school. He was a senior, and I hung out with him a lot because we had the same lunch periods and Demyx had a lot of different classes than me. Plus, it was when he had to start freshman year over, and he acted really distant back then. So…due to that, and worrying together about Demyx, we became closer.

"But at the beginning of last year he started flirting with me. A lot. He's actually the kind of guy who flirts with everyone, but for some reason I became his favorite target. And since I had thought he was good looking for quite a long time, his attitude toward me kind of pushed me over the edge." Zexion noticed that Roxas had begun to blush, a little taken aback, but he appreciated it nonetheless. "Somewhere along the line, I decided that I was going to try to kiss him.

"What ended up happening was me looking at him funny, trying to square myself up for that kiss, but remembering that I had never done it before I froze up. And then he asked me what I was doing, and I said that I was being a fish."

"…A fish?"

"When I was little, if I wanted a kiss from mom or dad, I would purse my lips and say 'look, I'm a fish!'" Roxas cracked up, Zexion looking at him with the utmost confusion and amusement. "Of course," He continued between bouts of strangled laughter, "Axel didn't know this. But Demyx did. And after he left, he went and told Demyx about it. So naturally, Demyx told him what it meant."

"I can't believe you said that to him!" Zexion slapped his knee, shaking his head and enjoying the wonderful feeling of long, excited laughter. The ridiculousness of the story, the way it tickled his funny bone, was almost cathartic.

"I couldn't really believe it either. I was so nervous about it I almost threw up that night, because I knew he was going to find out. Demyx was anxious for us to get together." Roxas steadied himself, bringing his feet up and crossing his legs. "When I went back to his apartment—Demyx made me—he just kind of looked at me and said 'So you're a fish, eh?'" Roxas' impression of him was comedic, deepening his voice and raising his eyebrow. "I tried to avoid any questioning about it, but Axel is relentless when he wants to be. Plus, it would have been weird of me to go over there and not talk about it."

"I bet." Zexion nodded, anxious to get to the end. "So did you kiss?"

"Yeah. I guess there was a reason for Axel's flirting, I just never thought too deep into it without assuming it was just wishful thinking." Roxas smiled, "Now it's been like…what, a year? I don't really keep track, except that I know Axel hasn't smoked for forty-seven days. He quit because I couldn't handle the smoke, at least that's the reason he gives."

"Ahh…he made a funny gesture the first day I was here, like he was trying to hold a cigarette to his mouth." Zexion hoped this wasn't a bad sign.

"Yeah…" Roxas glanced at the TV for a moment. "…Axel told us that you were kind of close as kids. What was he like then?"

"He was a lot weirder…he actually played with miniature fireworks a lot, that was one thing I remember. And he would steal my uncle's lighters and get in trouble for it." One corner of Roxas' mouth curved upward as he reminisced, and Zexion could tell how much Roxas liked hearing about him. "He was constantly worrying his parents about whether he would pass the next grade, but always managed to slip by at the end."

"Really? He seemed like he was born for school when he came here." Roxas and Zexion both shared surprised looks.

"Well, I guess the environment here is better?" Zexion shrugged, though at that moment their conversation was cut short as Axel walked in. He glanced at them both, and then grinned widely upon seeing them, posed as if they were friends that regularly talked for hours.

"Finally talking to him, Rox?" Axel carried groceries, setting them on the counter and walking back over to them, leaning on the couch. "What are you two chatting about?"

"You." Roxas smirked, leaning forward and kissing him quickly on the lips. Zexion was suddenly glad that they weren't the PDA type, this being only the second kiss shared between them that he'd seen.

"As long as it's flattering." Axel turned back, beginning to put the groceries away.

"I should get started on homework." Zexion stood, Roxas nodded, and he could see that he knew the homework thing was really an excuse to leave them alone. "Uh…thanks for the advice." He added quietly, turning and going into his room.

As he shut the door and dug his homework out of his backpack, he tried to do his calculus homework. Calculus was usually the first to go, because it was so frustrating. But as he stared at the numbers and slowly worked through them, he knew it was going to take longer than normal, unable to push Demyx completely from his mind.

* * *

**A/N: Longest. Chapter. Ever. By me, that is. XD And it's unedited, so I hope there aren't too many mistakes. Sorry for the late post, though technically it is only nine minutes late! O8 Haha. I guess I wasn't feeling so good today. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I do want to say that I love all your reviews and enthusiasm! **

**I also want to say, with a twinge of regret, that I'm going to have to retire my daily updating habits and go for a more manageable every two or three days updating pattern. Of course I'll still update whenever I finish the next chapter (I can't ever help it, I get too excited), but I need a little time-dad's coming home from a couple weeks being halfway around the globe :3 And I have a few college responsibilities. Booorringg. **

**ANYWAY. ;A; Hopefully you aren't too disappointed~ Lmfao you can handle it. This extra long chapter was to make up for it ;D (Maybe I'll be able to make the next chapters longer too, but I'm not promising anything XD) **

**Kay! 3 Till next time :D  
**


	9. Sitar

_"Zexion…"_

_ The lawyer looked up at you meaningfully, prompting you to try to understand the meaning of his glance but the sweat soaking through your collar and making you feel cold distracting you from thinking properly. _

_ "Late July of last year you tell us that your father began to take unexplained absences, correct?"_

_ "Not exactly unexplained…" You try not to stutter, feeling eyes boring into you. You wished mom sat where the prosecuting lawyer did, but no one sat at that table now, the lawyer painfully close to you and your mother somewhere you didn't know. Somewhere nobody knew. "He said he was working later…and had business trips."_

_ "Alright. Did he provide any specifics about these trips?"_

_ "No…" You glance at the gaggle of men behind the defense lawyer, recognizing one of them as the red-headed man, his eye patch gone and hair pulled back, revealing a scar where it should have been. Each man looked expressionless, demure, except for him—his glares could have penetrated iron. The only other person you recognized was your father, and briefly as the lawyer paused you realized that he had changed too much to really be your father anymore._

_ "I see. Let's go to the night you sustained your bullet injury, shall we? You say that you don't remember much about that night?" The lawyer tapped his finger on the wooden corner of the stand as you nodded. "Can you tell us what you do remember?"_

_ "S-Several men gathered in my room and shot at my closet, thinking my father was in it…" You sighed; there was nothing much you could remember after that. You did remember a little bit about the man with the eye patch, though…and that he was the only one you had seen—and here he was, the only person who you didn't want to admit was there. The only thing you could do was lie. "I remember seeing through the holes in my closet those men."_

_ "All of them?"_

_ "Yes…except for the man with the red hair." _

_ The lawyer looked back at them, each looking as surprised as he did, the red headed man perking up at his words. You didn't know what had gotten into you, such a split-second decision something you didn't do often. You didn't even think about the fact that the man could still be dangerous, and may have only shown you a moment of weakness. But still, you couldn't say he was there. _

_ "Interesting…All these men deny being there, so we have little else but your word. If they wanted to prove you wrong, they'd have to come out and confess that they themselves were there." The lawyer grinned wryly, as if he was catching on—though you knew that there was no way he could possibly know what had happened. _

_ You looked at your father, his expression terrifying. You couldn't drag your eyes away, his face seeming to intensify every moment. Then he was climbing over the stands, the lawyers disappearing, the judge gone, the bench no longer between you. All you could see was him and his murderous intent._

Zexion woke up with a confused shake of his head, his heart pounding. His dream had been like watching a rerun on TV, except he knew the ending was a result of his own imagination. It was true that he had looked at his father at that moment, and that the expression he saw there had been rather disturbing. Though unlike his dream his father had simply stayed in his spot, watching as each of his enemies were questioned, exposing him while clumsily trying to cover their own tracks.

But today, Zexion didn't want to think about things that had already passed, too much looking forward to spending time with Demyx this afternoon. He had overslept, heading toward the bathroom and with a quick glance down the hall he was able to see that Roxas was already there.

A quick shower and change of clothes later—with the last shirt that he had picked out the day he and Demyx went to the mall with him—and Zexion was already in the kitchen, eating a bowl of cereal and a few leftover strawberries that looked as though they might go bad soon. Instead of watching television as usual Roxas was at the kitchen table, reading the comics that came with the newspaper.

"Where's Axel?" Zexion carried his cereal and strawberries to the kitchen table and set them next to Roxas, who didn't bother to look up, as was his typical habit when he read anything.

"Uh…he had to get some stuff he forgot." Roxas turned the page, Zexion momentarily distracted by the bright, colorful columns of the comics. He hadn't realized that papers still published those.

"Some stuff?" Zexion frowned. Clearly Roxas wasn't into explaining himself, nodding and spooning a few corn flakes into his mouth. "I guess I won't be able to find out what the stuff is." Demyx was supposed to be there soon, and Zexion honestly couldn't wait. He knew they would probably only play some video games and talk a little, but that was just fine with him. He was doing what Roxas said, spending time with him, and seeing whether or not he really was having feelings for him.

Just as Zexion finished his thoughts the door opened, Demyx sauntering in and greeting the two at the kitchen table cheerfully. Zexion could feel the room brighten up, and it hadn't even dimmed in the first place. It did help him; however, shake off the strange weighty feeling that his dream had given him.

"Hey guys! You almost ready to go, Zexion?"

"Yeah, I'm just finishing my cereal." He shoved the remainder of his food into his mouth, chewing with difficulty and setting the empty bowl into the sink.

"What are you guys gonna do?" Roxas finally looked up, eyes lit with moderate curiosity. He looked at Zexion and gave him a funny half smile, the kind that always indicated there was something in particular on his mind. Demyx appeared to recognize it as well, squinting in confusion.

"Just gonna beat him at Mario Kart, repeatedly, until he says uncle. Then maybe I'll break out the sitar." Demyx pulled on the front door as Zexion looked at him, bug-eyed.

"Sitar!" He had never heard of anyone playing that instrument before, not seriously anyway. It was always a bit of a novelty to him, and nothing more. Roxas laughed at his reaction.

"Have fun." He turned back to his comics, and Demyx shook his head, letting Zexion slip through the doorway. They made their way down the stairs, Zexion now bubbling with questions at the mention of a sitar.

"You play the sitar? F-For real?" He was almost in awe, though he hoped Demyx played it well enough to exceed the novelty of having the instrument alone.

"Yeah, my dad gave it to me and taught me how to pluck it when I was younger. I'm pretty good at it now. I'll play for you." He beamed, and Zexion wondered how often anyone took interest in his musical hobby—from the way Demyx seemed to suddenly regard his playing with pride, Zexion gathered that he didn't get a lot of attention about it.

"Sounds great." They got into his car, Demyx turning on the radio to a low volume, the channel set to something calm. Zexion hadn't thought until now about what kind of a place Demyx lived in. Was it an apartment, like Roxas and Axel? Or was it a house? Or maybe one of those houses that held several families at once…Zexion was lost in thought as they drove, Demyx oddly quiet—though when he looked over he could see him smiling.

They drove several blocks, the town beginning to look more like a city. Though unlike the city that Zexion had lived in, this one was much homier, warm bricked buildings lining the streets, new looking shops inside them. It was the kind of place people could find a café in and sit at their laptops outside at a table, or window shop comfortably in the warm weather.

"Have you been in this part of town yet?" Demyx finally spoke up, Zexion looking over at him almost in surprise. He had been so distracted by the scenery, he forgot to try and think of any conversation.

"N-No, actually. I only really know the neighborhood around the apartment building and the school." He folded his hands in his lap. Finally they turned onto a street where small houses sat side by side; little steep yards squashed in the space in front of them, each house with a unique Victorian feel to it. Demyx turned up to one with dark brown bricks and white piping, Zexion staring, trying not to yearn to live in a house like this one.

They got out, Demyx leading the way inside, letting Zexion enter first and giving him a slight push on the smalls of his back as he went through the doorway. It was nice inside as well; stairs leading up to a second floor and another set on the other side leading down to what was probably a basement. The house was so small, however, that almost like Axel's apartment, you could see every room when you first entered.

"My room is in the basement." Demyx pointed to the stairs leading downward, Zexion following him down into a large room—though it was smaller than the upstairs—so many things lining the walls that he wasn't sure what to look at first.

There were posters of bands, a few pictures of the ocean, a jar of sand on a desk and a fish tank that held a few bright yellow fish at the far side of the room. Demyx's bed had a black comforter on it, the floor a dark blue. There were so many posters and pictures lining the walls that it took a few moments for Zexion to notice that the wallpaper was a seahorse pattern.

"Your room is really nice." Zexion was almost jealous of how personalized it was, not having been able to hang up a picture since he was in middle school. "I like how it feels like an ocean."

"Yeah? I picked it out when I was a little kid. We moved out of the same apartment building Roxas and Axel live in, and when we came here there was no room upstairs for me so they put some wallpaper down here and made it a bedroom." Demyx went and sat on his bed, a TV across from it and a gaming console underneath.

"It's really nice in here." He commented, standing awkwardly in the middle of the carpet. Demyx laughed and gestured for him to sit next to him.

"Thanks. Now come on, I'm eager to see if you're halfway decent at this game." He grabbed a controller on the nightstand, handing it to Zexion as he sat next to him. Demyx's bed was nice and plush, Zexion feeling himself sink a good few inches into the mattress.

It turned out that Zexion was more than halfway decent at the racing game that Demyx had so craved to play with him, even beating him on one track, but mostly coming in second or third place. Demyx had commended him for his efforts, though cheekily refusing to believe that Zexion beating him on rainbow road was anything but luck.

They played a few other games too, most of them role playing games, though Zexion wasn't so good at these. He was content to watch Demyx explain the game to him as he played, fascinated with how expertly he navigated through the levels. Zexion guessed he must have gotten a lot of practice.

When they got tired of staring at the television so intensely, Demyx finally took his sitar out of his closet, the instrument like none he'd ever seen before. It had a beautiful design on it, making it look like an upside down heart, the wood painted blue. He watched with half-lidded eyes as Demyx plucked the strings and played a strange, vibrating tune that filled his ears with music and nothing else.

"Did you like it?" Demyx smiled proudly as he finished, Zexion immediately perking up again and nodding enthusiastically.

"I've never heard anything like it! It was very soothing." He shifted on Demyx's bed, watching as he got up and put the instrument away.

"We bought it when we visited the beach. Dad has one too, it's upstairs. Though it doesn't look anything like this one."

"Are all these pictures from the beach too?" Zexion pointed to one of Demyx looking a lot younger though still rather tall, bright-eyed, holding up sand dollars that he had clearly discovered not long before the picture was taken.

"Yeah. We went every year before high school." Demyx leaned back and crossed his legs, putting his sock-covered feet playfully in Zexion's lap. "I'm hoping that we start going again sometime soon."

"Would you like to swim again?" Zexion wondered aloud, biting the inside of his lip and hoping that it didn't evoke any strong feelings in Demyx. He looked over at him, and Demyx appeared thoughtful, shrugging his shoulders.

"Maybe…" They sat in silence for a few moments, Zexion realizing that soon he would have to go back home. Before he got up and suggested it, however, he used the time to enjoy sitting on Demyx's soft bed and bouncing his foot on his knee, looking at it and thinking that he might have a pretty good idea to surprise Demyx with.

* * *

**A/N: Ahhh. Not much to say about this chapter. I'M SORRY THEY DIDN'T KISS OR CANOODLE. But it's kind of early for that stuff. Don't worryyyy. I hope Zexion's dreams are kind of interesting, I'm trying to use them to explain what about his past that he can't really talk about (Mostly because he has, or wants to, forget about most of it). He'll be able to open up soon about it though. He'll actually have to.**

**THANKS FOR YOUR REVIEWS. I love them all, you guys are great. Such enthusiasm ;3; I will try to make the next chapter real good!  
**


	10. Anxiety

After Zexion's first visit to Demyx's house, school began to get a lot busier, fully distracting Zexion from having any more dreams about anything concerning his life before moving to Axel's. Over the next couple of weeks there were several projects assigned, the teachers beginning to lay into the senior class much more than they had been before. Demyx became a little stressed, though Zexion rather enjoyed being able to go to a school where he could be so involved with his work. He got the feeling that he was unique in this.

Fortunately a couple of the projects had the option of working with a partner, Zexion choosing Demyx wherever he could. This provided them time to spend together, Zexion going to Demyx's most weekends where they would fall into a familiar pattern of homework and being distracted by video games. During this time Zexion learned many things; that Demyx was exceptionally good at video games, knew a lot of trivia when it came to subjects like Biology (Zexion noticed that it was Demyx's best class), and couldn't seem to be good at all of his classes at once, only able to focus on half and slip by with the best he could manage on the other half.

Demyx, however, did not learn very much about Zexion. It goes without saying that Zexion's personality was rather familiar to him by the time the next month rolled around and it was March, but things about Zexion's life were still an unfamiliar subject. Something that Demyx, Zexion could tell, was curious about—but something he guarded closely still. Demyx became rather curious one day when Zexion let it be known that Axel had adopted him and named himself as his guardian.

"Is that possible though, that someone in your family could adopt you like they were your parent?" Demyx sat on his bed, Zexion on the floor leaning back against it. They had both finished their English homework, Demyx in need of a break after having a particularly hard time finishing an essay that was due the next day.

"Well, Axel isn't calling himself my parent. Just a guardian, for legal reasons." Zexion stretched his legs out, and Demyx laid on the bed near him so their heads were level to each other.

"But…what about your parents? Why can't they be around anymore?" Demyx was concerned, but didn't seem to sense that he was treading into unwelcome territory.

"It's too much for me to explain." Zexion tried to shrug it off, though it was a memory that was still painful—most of it he didn't even like to mention to himself. He had so easily denied that things still bothered him, that he almost forgot that there were still things he had to come to terms with. His mother was still missing, and the occurring thought suddenly sent sharp stabs of anxiety through his chest.

"C'mon, I can listen. I don't mind." Demyx nudged him. Demyx touching him in familiar ways had become something that Zexion enjoyed. Though now that he was suddenly overflowing with thoughts and twinges of things he needed to let go, things that he still held onto, it was much less enjoyable.

"I do mind, Demyx." He felt a little out of breath. How had he managed to ignore these feelings for so long? "Can I go home now?"

"Really?" Demyx sat up. Finally he knew Demyx recognized something was wrong, Zexion nodding quickly, standing up and feeling as if he was going to cry. It was so strange and sudden, and the confused and almost panicked expression on Demyx's face didn't help. "Okay, Zexion…" He stepped off the bed and stood, looking worried, finding his keys and wallet and leading him back upstairs to the doorway.

Into the car they went, saying very little as Demyx pulled out of the driveway and headed back over to the apartment building that had become almost like home to Zexion. As he drove Zexion's head was dizzy with waves of guilt that hit him as he wondered to himself; how could he get so caught up in thoughts of boys and hormones, making friends as if nothing had ever happened, without letting himself think about before at all?

For Zexion, it was time to recognize the idea that his mother might be gone, and that he had been denying it for more than a month in favor of school and friends. Perhaps it wasn't his fault, perhaps he hadn't been ready. His own mind had forced certain memories to places that he could only seem to find through dreams, and it was clear they were forcing their way back into his conscious.

Overwhelmed, Zexion felt tears burn at his eyelids, not really caring that Demyx was so unusually quiet, and most likely frightened. They pulled up to the apartment building, Demyx turning the car off and looking at him, trying to see his face in the dark.

"Sorry." Zexion muttered as he opened the door, turning his face away and quickly closing it as Demyx said goodbye.

He wiped at his eyes, looking up at the story where the apartment door faced down at him, though the sight wasn't quite inviting. He thought about waiting a while, until he could at least go to his room without being questioned to what his troubles might be.

Demyx hadn't driven away yet, Zexion turning and remembering that Demyx never drove away until he was safely inside, even though there was very little to be worried about. He stood immobile, wondering if Demyx would drive away anyhow, looking back up to the apartment and seeing that the light was on in the window. Roxas would be there too…he wrung his fingers around his wrists, looking back at Demyx quickly, who watched him with his hands on the wheel.

Finally, while still looking up at the apartment, he heard Demyx's car door open, then close. Zexion stood still, closing his eyes for a moment and letting a tear escape down his cheek. He just needed a while to think, to cope, and he was sure he couldn't do that in a place where everyone thought he had coped already.

Demyx walked up beside him, for a moment just standing there with him, looking up at the apartment as well. Zexion looked over, lacking the strength to tell him to leave. Faintly he felt Demyx's hand tugging at his arm, trying to pull him closer. Zexion didn't resist, hesitating at first, and then turning toward Demyx. He looked up at him, and could barely see his face in the dark, but he felt kindness in the way he touched him.

"Sit down." Demyx said to him softly, both boys sitting on the curb next to Demyx's car. "You're getting a panic attack."

"How do you know that?" Zexion pulled his own arms around himself, his teeth starting to chatter, even though it wasn't cold.

"I had them a lot after I nearly drowned." Demyx crossed his arms and leaned forward on his knees, looking out at the lights on the street and in the buildings. "And if there's anything I know about them, it's that you shouldn't leave anyone alone when they're having one."

They sat in silence for a few moments, Zexion shivering. He supposed he wouldn't feel much better if he had been alone, his thoughts still mixed up. He started to feel embarrassed at his behavior, not having had to admit anything like this to Demyx since he had yelled at his philosophy teacher. This, he felt, was much worse. At least Demyx could sympathize with him; otherwise he was certain that Demyx would have kept his distance.

"I guess there's a lot to catch up with, huh? About the things that happened before you moved here." Demyx turned his head toward him, his eyes strangely luminescent in the dark. "I wish you could let me in on it, but that's okay if you can't."

Zexion nodded, looking down at his shoes. He hadn't known Demyx for very long, even though they had spent so much time together. Did he deserve to know about what had happened to him? Thinking back it was clear that Demyx had shared a lot with Zexion, particularly about his accident, something that obviously bothered him. But that was much longer ago, the events not something that left a fresh wound every time they were mentioned. Zexion didn't know that for sure, though…perhaps it was time to be able to confide in someone.

"The reason I had to move here," Zexion began, Demyx leaning to him and listening carefully, "Was because some thugs looking for my dad took my mom. I hid, and one of them found me but he let me run away before anyone else found out that I was there. But ever since then I haven't seen her, and nobody can find her. I saw the man who let me escape in court when the police found my father and held a trial for him, but I couldn't ask him if he knew. If I did, it would expose the fact that he had been to my house, and I didn't want anyone to know."

Demyx watched him, frowning, looking at him with the utmost sympathy.

"What did your dad do?"

"He joined a group of criminals and tried to kill their leader. It turned everyone against him. I didn't know what he had done before it was explained to me in court, but I had known there was something wrong with him. Even before he got involved with those people he had always been a little strange and rough, though at least I still knew him as my father." Zexion sniffed, wiping his fingers at his cheeks and getting them slippery with tears.

"So…your dad did that, and it made a gang go over to your house and take your mom away, and then you had to go to court…" Zexion nodded slowly. "Damn, Zexion…I had no idea. I thought that you had just a little trouble in your house, but I didn't know it was that bad…"

"I've just been trying to act like it's okay, and I think that was the wrong thing to do…but if I think about it too much, I become upset, and then I don't really feel like talking to anyone or doing anything." He felt Demyx's arm slide around his shoulders, pulling him into a hug. He hadn't expected it, but the act felt warm and comforting, tears beginning to soak into Demyx's shirt.

"It's gonna be fine. I'll always be here to talk to you, okay? Just call me and I'll come over." Demyx's voice was soft, and Zexion nodded again, the same subtle smell of cologne easing him. He still couldn't help but feel a bit pathetic, having broken down so quickly and easily, and all Demyx had to do was mention his parents.

"I'm sorry." Zexion muttered, letting his arms slip around Demyx's waist and returning his hug. "I didn't know this would happen."

"It's fine." Demyx insisted, "I wish I had known all of this sooner. I would never have bothered you about it if I knew that it was so painful." The two pulled apart, Zexion wiping at his face quickly. "Do you want to stay over tonight? You wouldn't have to see Axel or Roxas, and you could read or play games or sleep—anything you want."

"I think I'll be okay." Zexion started to smile, glad of the invitation. "But I would like to stay here a little bit longer…I'm starting to feel better."

"Sure." Demyx smiled back, clearly relieved. "We'll stay here as long as you want."


	11. Shock, Surprise

Zexion didn't say much else to Demyx about himself, but he didn't feel he had to. Demyx knew the most important things that bothered him, and the simple fact that someone else knew and understood why he was having such strange emotional breakdowns at such strange times made him feel a little more comforted. He had someone who could look at his issues more objectively than Axel and less critically than Roxas could, someone who could just listen or _know_ what was wrong if anything wasn't right.

Another week passed, and Zexion remembered he had been planning something for Demyx, though he still wasn't sure if Demyx would appreciate it or not. He knew he would regret it if he didn't treat him to the surprise sometime, and that even if it didn't work out Demyx would still like him for the thought. At least, he hoped he would.

Spring break came surprisingly early for Twilight High, which made it easier for Zexion to plan. On the first Sunday most places in town were closed, Zexion inviting Demyx over for the evening, hoping to leave the apartment without Roxas or Axel. He wasn't too worried though, seeing as how lately they had been acting more and more like a married couple, Roxas' presence in the apartment more natural than his absence.

After dinner there was a knock on the door, Zexion springing into step excitedly to answer it. Opening the door, however, provided him with an unpleasant shock as he looked up at a man with an eye patch.

It took several moments of gawking for Zexion to realize that this man was not, in fact, the one who had saved him the night he was grazed with a bullet. There were obvious differences—his hair was black with white streaks, his face was darker, scarred, and more mature. Behind him Axel stood, Zexion quickly getting out of the way and going to sit back next to Roxas.

"Xigbar!" Axel greeted him jovially, embracing him briefly and welcoming him in. "Come sit down. Roxas, Zexion, this is my cousin Xigbar—from my mom's side." He added to Zexion, who nodded and continued to say nothing. "Xigbar, this is Zexion, a cousin from dad's side, and Roxas, my uh. Well…" Axel blushed, the first time Zexion had seen him do so, and he realized that Axel was actually bashful about his relationship with Roxas.

"Boyfriend." Roxas finished for him, though Xigbar didn't seem bothered or even surprised at all. Zexion stared at him for a few moments, just to make sure it wasn't the redheaded man in disguise, nervously wondering why an eye patch made him react so strongly.

"Well look at that! Talk about a combo breaker, eh?" Xigbar's voice was loud as he nudged Axel, who laughed. Roxas, however, did not look upon this too kindly. Either that, Zexion supposed, or Roxas simply did not have a kind disposition toward strangers.

Just then Demyx walked into the still open door, looking around at them, nonplussed as to the circumstances of the stranger's visit.

"H-Hey." Zexion stood, "I'm just gonna get a bag, Demyx, then we can go."

Demyx nodded and Zexion left them, Axel introducing his family member to Demyx, finding the bag where he had stashed a few things he thought would be a good idea to take on their little trip. Going back into the living room he saw Demyx was smiling, Zexion half hiding himself behind him, waiting for their chat to end.

It seemed that Xigbar was visiting on business, and had decided to drop in and visit Axel for a while. Zexion remained near Demyx patiently, as it seemed that Demyx and Xigbar got along quite well. He hoped Demyx didn't decide to stay.

"I suppose we ought to get going, eh Zexion?" Demyx finally said, to his relief. Zexion nodded eagerly, both boys turning and leaving the apartment. "So where are we going? You seemed secretive on the phone."

"It's still a secret until we get there." Zexion looked over at the sun, which was beginning to set. It needed to be dark if he didn't want them to get caught. Demyx grinned, faking a groan as they walked.

"Oh, don't tease me!" He whined, pushing at Zexion's shoulder playfully. "Can I at least guess?"

"Nope. I'm not good at hiding the truth when people guess correctly." Zexion was proud of himself, though he knew part of the reason he wouldn't tell Demyx was because he was afraid to. "We're almost there, though. Could you cover your eyes?"

"Only if you lead me there by the hand." Demyx flirted, securing one hand over his eyes and extending the other as Zexion became flustered. This was the first time Demyx had said anything so flirtatious, Zexion taking his hand and hoping against all hope that he wouldn't sweat too much.

They walked toward their destination, Zexion beginning to smell the chlorine. He hoped Demyx wouldn't be tipped off, though he had always had a strong nose. Finally he saw the gated outdoor pool; the floating lane dividers removed and rolled up on the sides, the water still and clear. He stopped Demyx, letting go of his hand, and feeling an anxious flutter in his stomach.

"Alright."

Demyx uncovered his eyes, looking at the swimming pool, his expression vacant as Zexion put on a worried face.

"Y-You don't have to, I mean…if we did, we could just wade or something, we don't even have to swim for real. If you want we could just sit at the edge with our feet in the pool…" He stammered, watching Demyx carefully, though with the darkening sky it was difficult to see his face.

"I-I…would we be breaking in?" Demyx looked around, but the pool was nestled among houses and trees, the neighborhood quiet.

"I suppose we would." Zexion shrugged, "Though to be honest, I don't see the harm it could do. And if we get caught, I'll say it was my fault."

"What about swimsuits?"

"I borrowed a couple from Axel." Zexion held up the bag, swimsuits and towels inside. Demyx looked at them, clearly unsure of his decision. "I just thought it might be nice to spend time here, alone…I know how important swimming was to you."

Demyx looked down at Zexion, shifting, and then looking around as Zexion had before to see if anyone was looking at them. Zexion moved closer to him, wordlessly taking him by the wrist and pulling him over to the fence, to which the door was chained loosely. Demyx let himself be lead through the gap, both boys barely fitting through it.

"Okay…" Demyx finally said, Zexion smiling and reaching into the bag, pulling out a pair of red swim trunks and handing them over. Demyx took them, looking down at them for a moment as Zexion pulled off his shirt. He had already donned a pair underneath his pants, trying not to stare at Demyx as he pushed down his pants and underwear and replaced them with the red trunks.

Once both boys were in nothing but their swimming gear, they went over to the side of the pool, Zexion dipping a foot into the water and noticing that it was pleasantly warm. Without hesitation he jumped in, submerging himself completely. As he resurfaced he saw that Demyx had joined him, treading water and looking more comfortable than Zexion had expected him to.

They both said nothing at first, Demyx occasionally disappearing under the water, experimenting with a few laps here and there. Zexion found it hard to believe that this was his first time swimming in five years, Demyx's body flowing so naturally with the water. Soon he felt fingers tickling at his feet, Zexion laughing and trying to escape Demyx's hands. Demyx was too fast for him, however, swimming between his legs and lifting him up onto his shoulders unexpectedly.

"Demyx!" Zexion yelled, leaning down and gripping his head, suddenly above the water's surface, Demyx chuckling as he balanced Zexion easily.

"L-Let go of my face, Zexion!" Demyx laughed, "I'm not gonna let you fall."

"You should have warned me!" Zexion sputtered, trying his best to loosen his grip on Demyx and sit up straight, though he couldn't help but wrap his arms around the top of Demyx's head. Somewhere between his surprise and panic, though, he felt relief that Demyx was beginning to have fun. Zexion messed up his hair a bit, making it stick up like it did when it was dry.

"What are you doing up there?" Demyx's voice became more lighthearted, walking around the shallower end of the pool with ease.

"Your hair is getting long at the top; I thought it might look good as a mohawk." He styled it into a point, grinning at his creation. Demyx snorted, letting them both fall into the water, Zexion shouting again as he fell. "You said you wouldn't drop me!"

"I lied!" Demyx gleefully swam around Zexion, who tried to join him, though he wasn't quite as graceful.

Soon after swimming around for a bit, Zexion made a break for the ledge, becoming tired quickly. He hadn't realized how much work it was to swim, hoisting himself up onto the concrete and resting, becoming content to simply watch Demyx do a few laps and try different strokes.

"You're like a fish." Zexion commented when Demyx swam over to him, pushing his hair out of his face. He had thought about the comment for a while, feeling a tinge of pink cross his cheeks as he said it. Demyx looked at him, cocking his head for a moment.

"I…I really am a fish." He smiled, treading water slowly, his face reflecting the light of the white street lamps. Zexion was amazed that no one had walked by, though it was a rather secluded area. Demyx's hand wrapped abruptly around one of Zexion's legs, pulling it toward him and smiling, though Zexion resisted.

"No, Demyx!" despite his resolve he was smiling, trying his best to stay in his spot as Demyx tugged at him. "I'm done swimming for now, really."

"I'm not! And it's no fun without you." Demyx resorted to pulling his arms, though Zexion was having none of it. Finally Demyx wrapped his arms around Zexion's waist, Zexion reaching forward and automatically clinging to him, afraid that Demyx was going to try to toss him again.

"No no no! Don't throw me in!" Zexion sounded so desperate, though soon he realized that Demyx wasn't even supporting him, his legs wrapped around his chest tightly enough that he didn't need to. Slowly he slid down his torso, feet unable to touch the bottom, still holding on to Demyx's arm for support. Demyx shook his hair, the strands sticking out in funny places.

"See? You're not tired at all, right?"

"But I am. Why else would I be hanging on to you?" Zexion chided, though he could think of one or two very good reasons.

Demyx seemed to think of them too, smiling wryly as he watched Zexion and looked as if he was trying to decide something. Zexion bit his lip for a moment, reaching up with his other hand and pushing his bangs out of the way to see him more clearly.

"Fine." Zexion uttered a small surprised noise as Demyx brought him back to the edge of the pool, motioning for him to sit back on the concrete. Zexion obliged, returning to his earlier place. Demyx didn't go to swim any more, instead placing himself between Zexion's legs, making him gasp.

"Demyx?"

"Yeah?"

"What are you doing there?"

"Waiting for you to lean down." Demyx smiled, the words and their possible meaning sending a current of excitement through his spine.

Hesitantly Zexion leaned down; still not sure whether or not to be surprised as Demyx's hands ran over his neck, pulling him in, their lips meeting in a soft kiss. Zexion's vulnerability showed easily through his tentative and small movements, Demyx rather confident in running his fingers through Zexion's hair and breathing in deeply through his nose.

After a few moments Zexion pulled back, looking down at Demyx with wide eyes. Demyx's hands ran down his arms, giving him goose bumps. He wasn't sure what to say at the moment, though if there were any question as to whether he still felt anything toward Demyx, this definitely decided it.

"Wanna stay over tonight?" Demyx asked, Zexion swallowing and watching as Demyx climbed out of the water and held out his hand, helping him stand up.

"Yeah, I think I do." Zexion smiled, and they both turned to get dressed.


	12. Restraint

It didn't take long to walk back to Demyx's car, Zexion running upstairs to gather some clothing for the next day, Roxas looking at his wet hair funny in the living room while Axel and Xigbar continued to talk at the kitchen table. Zexion tried not to make himself too noticeable, smiling his goodbye at Roxas before slipping back out the door and down the stairs.

Demyx waited in the car, tapping his fingers on the wheel happily while Zexion sat next to him. He grinned coyly at him as he shifted gears, driving off toward his house. Zexion wasn't sure what to say. Just like walking to the pool, Demyx made sure that they held hands on the way back, though they were bashfully silent the whole way.

As they arrived to his house (the drive seemed to get shorter every time), Demyx stopped the car, but didn't get out, reaching over and touching Zexion's arm for a moment. Zexion looked over at him, wondering if he was going to say something, but surprised when Demyx leaned in and pressed their lips together quickly before beginning to speak.

"Do you know how long I've wanted to do that?" Demyx whispered, pulling back and smiling.

"Since the last time?" Zexion joked, feeling lightheaded.

"No, a bit longer than that." He laughed, taking Zexion's things for him and getting out of the car. Zexion followed, wondering if Demyx's parents were home. They were most of the time, except when Zexion made his visits right after school. Sure enough his dad sat at the table in the dining room, paring the skin off of a bowl of potatoes. "Hey dad. Zexion and I will be in the basement."

His father looked up. He had dark hair and a slightly rugged face, Zexion smiling politely and trying his best not to look too nervous.

"Why are you all wet?" He asked, tossing another peeled potato into the bowl beside him.

"Zexion convinced me to go swimming." Demyx said, and Zexion blushed as if it was an important announcement. His father cracked a smile, grabbing another potato and peeling it expertly.

"How about that! Is this gonna be a regular thing with you?" Zexion felt pleased, watching Demyx have this exchange with his father. Demyx's face turned pink, though he grinned, and Zexion felt a leap of happiness at his expression. It showed no regret.

"Maybe! We'll have to see how much Zexion drags me out there. Though it didn't take too much convincing…" Demyx nudged Zexion playfully, who shrugged his shoulders and couldn't help but look completely mollified. "We're gonna go downstairs now. Tell us if you need any help." They turned, his father nodding genially at them both as they rounded the corner and descended into Demyx's room.

"You're not going to tell your dad about us right away, are you?" Zexion inquired nervously, sitting next to Demyx on his bed. Demyx laughed, shaking his head.

"I'm not sure how he'd react if I told him about us when we've only kissed twice…I'd much rather tell him when we're more stable, you know?" Demyx didn't turn on the television to start playing video games with him, or turn to dig his sitar out of the closet. Instead he looked earnestly down at Zexion, folding his hands in his lap.

"S-So you…" Zexion paused, trying to think how to ask his question, "You want to keep going? With us?" He shifted on the soft mattress, eyes shining, feeling stranger than he ever had in his life—in ways both good and bad.

"Do you?"

"Yeah." It wasn't a difficult answer, at least.

"Then I do, too." Demyx cocked his head to the side, and Zexion could tell he was barely able to contain the wide grin he had shown his father when talking about their swimming from earlier.

"Roxas said that you've never been with anyone before." Zexion ventured, bringing his legs up onto the bed after kicking his shoes off, crossing his legs and leaning forward in interest. Demyx looked embarrassed, scratching the back of his head.

"No, I haven't. I didn't really know what I liked before…you're the closest I've come to knowing it, though." Demyx repeated Zexion's actions, and with his legs crossed put his hands on his feet, rocking gently. Zexion had never seen Demyx do this before, though they hadn't ever had a conversation like this one. "I'm afraid I don't have a lot of experience, when it comes to these things."

"Me neither." Zexion pushed his bangs behind his ear, feeling a bit nervous. He pondered exactly what it was he would have to be nervous about, though, since Demyx didn't have anyone to compare him to. At least, no one that he knew of. "I guess we'll figure it out. Or we could ask Axel and Roxas for tips." He chuckled, despite the fact that he had already done so.

"Actually, maybe we could keep it from them for a while, too." Demyx piped, looking genuinely worried. Zexion nodded, though he was surprised. He wouldn't mind letting them know, and he didn't even know them for as long as Demyx—or at least, not as well. "I just…in my experience with things, when I get too excited about something new I tell everyone, and as soon as I'm finished telling everyone, it's over…I don't want us to be like that."

"I understand!" Zexion put his hands on Demyx's knees, hoping he wasn't being too bold. "It would be easier if it was just between you and me for a while."

"So what do you say we nix further discussion and get to…continuing what we started in the pool?" Demyx's lips turned up sweetly, Zexion becoming flushed at his suggestion.

"I wouldn't mind." He replied, though he suddenly withdrew his hands, bringing them to his own knees. Demyx didn't seem to care, leaning forward and slipping both hands over the sides of Zexion's face, Zexion letting him do whatever he pleased. Demyx's kiss was more insistent this time, surprising him, luring him forward as he set his hands gently on his chest.

They spent the next few minutes kissing, Zexion uttering several awkward moans, Demyx able to keep his cool much better than he could. At first it was hesitant, Zexion soon finding out that it was best to keep his eyes closed most of the time—opening them was too strange. He became only comfortable enough to experiment in small ways, sometimes sucking on Demyx's bottom lip, other times letting his tongue push forward, running along his bottom lip.

Demyx, on the other hand, was eager to show Zexion any passion he could. He touched Zexion anywhere he'd allow him to, pulling him closer and closer until finally he relented, sitting with their hips together as Demyx clutched him tightly. One thing that Demyx seemed to like was his lower back, playing with the hem of his shirt, stroking his skin with the tips of his fingers.

Before long Zexion felt the familiar tug of arousal, pulling away and panting, his face bright red. Demyx's lips were swollen, hands still at his back, pushing up his shirt.

"I need to take a break, I-I'm…getting a little uncomfortable." Zexion said breathlessly, Demyx grinning.

"You sure you don't a little help with that?" His hands slipped to his waist, Zexion too deeply contemplating his physical state to really be staggered by Demyx's forwardness.

"I think that's the kind of thing that can wait till later…" He shifted, trying to make himself more relaxed and less…_visible_ to Demyx. He wasn't sure how aroused he had gotten, though he was afraid to look, not wanting to bring attention to himself. He took a quick glance down at Demyx's crotch, unable to tell if he was suffering the same effects.

"Sure." He ruffled his hair, Zexion trying to do the same thing back to him, though Demyx's hair always had a ruffled look, even when still wet. "Let's play some games."

That night they spent most of the hours trying to beat each other in races on virtual jets or go carts. At dinner Zexion managed to evade most questions, Demyx's dad mostly interested in their visit to the pool, both boys somehow keeping the fact that they were swimming after hours from him. Before bed they kissed a bit more, though Zexion knew he would have to still take time to get used to touching someone so intimately, sometimes shying away from Demyx's advances.

He slept on the floor, refusing to join Demyx in his bed for fear that he wouldn't be able to help himself if Demyx asked him again to kiss and touch. They talked most of the night, Zexion trying to keep the topic away from talking about his mother or father and more on the subject of how he and Roxas met, if he'd ever had any crushes, or even more personal things like how often he pleasured himself—something Demyx was quite open about. Zexion tried to be vague, though Demyx knew when he tried to hide the truth, eventually coaxing it out of him.

Falling asleep took a long time that night, Zexion charged with the excitement of late night conversation and finding so many new things out about Demyx. Demyx didn't let up for a long time either, until finally they had talked themselves into exhaustion, and Zexion hadn't realized he had fallen asleep until he awoke the next morning, Demyx having joined him on the floor.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for taking longer this time! When it comes to writing intimacy, I am the slowest of pokes. x_x I hope this was good! And a little awkward. :3 awkwardness makes things better.**


	13. Visitor

As he woke up Zexion noticed he was shirtless, blushing as he remembered that he had taken it off last night in the heat of needy, inexperienced kisses at Demyx's bedside. Before he woke him up he found his shirt, putting it back on and leaning down, putting a hand on the blonde's shoulder. He smiled as Demyx groaned from his gentle shaking, groggily sitting up and blinking his eyes in an effort to focus better.

"Morning." Zexion was astonished that he hadn't felt strange from waking in a room that he had never slept in before, but he had spent so much time here that he supposed it wasn't so bad. Demyx grinned tiredly and reached forward, pulling Zexion to his chest and lying back down.

"Too sleepy to say stuff." He mumbled, making Zexion giggle and squirm uncharacteristically to free himself from his new-found boyfriend's grasp, though apparently Demyx wasn't too tired to hold him in a vice grip until Zexion finally gave up and laid still.

"So," Zexion sighed, trying to get comfortable with Demyx's arms around him, "Are you planning on sleeping all day, or am I gonna have to walk home?" He closed his eyes for a moment, but not before catching Demyx's frown.

"No…don't leave." He whined lazily, gripping Zexion harder.

"Ach…I can't breathe…" Zexion wriggled free, sitting back up and leaning against the wall. Demyx's expression sported the utmost agony, his hand traveling underneath the cuff of his pajama bottoms and becoming content with stroking his ankle. Zexion shook his head and smiled. "I need to shower, and get a little of that load of homework out of the way."

"Really? You don't wanna spend all day in bed with me?" Demyx squinted mischievously at him, his hand traveling up to Zexion's calf, massaging it. "Boy, your legs are hairy."

"And yours aren't!" Zexion shouted, half joking, half quelling the urge to knock him on the head. "I do want to spend the day with you, but I'd rather do it when I'm free of the responsibilities of schoolwork weighing on my mind."

"Ahh…you're so diligent, Zexion." Demyx teased, pushing his hand further past his calf and over his knee, the cloth on his pajamas falling down his thigh. Zexion observed this with scrutiny, hoping that Demyx wouldn't try to go any further. "I wish I could be so mindful…but the essay sounds to me like something I'll be leaving off until Monday night."

"Well, I'm just slower than you when it comes to writing; I couldn't get it all done in a night. You're truly the more admirable one between us." Zexion laid a hand on Demyx's head, chuckling, and slapping his hand away when he tried to reach a little too far up his leg. Demyx pouted.

"You're no fun…"

"I didn't know you'd be making moves on me so early!" Zexion stood, brushing himself off and nudging Demyx with his foot. "Come on, I don't want to walk back…"

"Fine. But I demand more kisses before we go, and then some more on the way, and some more once we get there." Zexion huffed, though secretly he knew he would have no problems filling Demyx's demands. He rooted through his bag for his clothes, picking them up and going to the bathroom that connected to Demyx's room. It was comparatively neat inside, Zexion studying the walls and looking at what kind of shampoo he used as he shed his pajamas and pulled on some pants, trying not to think too hard about the fact that he had been temporarily naked in Demyx's bathroom.

Putting his shirt on Zexion looked in the mirror for a few moments, shrugging satisfactorily and peeking out into Demyx's room. Demyx was putting a shirt on, his head popping out of the neck hole in an amusing fashion, making Zexion laugh.

"Do you ever comb your hair?" He asked, walking over to him and leaning on his dresser. Demyx pulled at one of the longer strands.

"Nope. It's too short in some places and too thin in others to really need it." Suddenly he reached out, putting a hand on Zexion's shoulder and kissing him. Zexion pushed back, not really meaning to but somehow keeping track of his comfort level with each progressive kiss; this one felt slightly more natural than the last, though still he felt that he needed some practice before it was no longer strange.

"Alright." Zexion began as they broke apart, "Let's go…you can come and eat breakfast with me, too." He went over and grabbed his bag, Demyx holding the door open for him as they left. Zexion noticed that neither of his parents were home, but remembered quickly that both had jobs during the daytime on weekdays.

As they drove Zexion noticed that Demyx had apparently decided against kissing him, seemingly laying off of him for a while. Zexion appreciated this, after a night of so much closeness he needed some time to himself to think things over. At the apartment Axel and Roxas were eating breakfast at the kitchen table, greeting them jovially as they walked in. As Zexion and Demyx went into the kitchen to help themselves to a plate of eggs, Zexion stole a glance at Roxas, who raised an eyebrow at him. Axel seemed oblivious to the situation.

When they had eaten and Demyx had gone, Axel and Roxas going out as well, Zexion finally had time alone to shower and freely hum whatever song he wanted without worrying that someone could hear him, even walking around his room shirtless for a while simply because he didn't want his damp hair getting the material of his collar wet. After a few hours of television and reading, he sat down at his desk and read the prompt for his essay, something his wandering mind could only vaguely understand as he tried to concentrate on the words. Somewhere between the first and second paragraphs of the rough draft he managed to eat a bowl of ice cream, watch half of the rest of a television show in the living room and put a shirt on before he could really focus.

But as soon as his edge began, it ended with a rap on his window. Startled he jumped up, turning around and wondering who it could possibly be—the only way a person could get outside his window would to be to climb the fire escape, and none of his friends had any way to expect to enter from that route. The sun shone brightly against the silhouette of someone familiar, and walking closer he saw that it was none other than the red-haired man of his dreams.

He swallowed, memories and emotions that he had finally learned to suppress rising within him once more, making him nauseous and dizzy. It didn't matter that this was the only person in the gang who had shown him kindness, because he didn't know him—for all the manners he had shown him before, he could be a thousand times worse and Zexion would have never known.

"C'mon, kid!" He tapped on the window again, peering inside with an expression that looked almost innocent, as if it were perfectly normal to be climbing fire escapes and asking to be let into someone's home via the window. "Let me in!" His voice was muffled by the single pane of glass, the man standing and putting out his cigarette in frustration. Finally, to Zexion's horror, he opened the window.

"What are you doing?" He choked, backing away against the doorframe as the man poked his head in. He laughed, though Zexion found himself unable to gauge his intentions through it.

"Just checking on you, kid! I saw you walking around the neighborhood and finally figured out where you lived. Mind if I come inside?"

"Yes, I do mind!" He was beginning to lose control of his voice, "If you're just checking on me, why couldn't you just have knocked on the door?"

"Cause I dunno which door is yours. I tried once and a lady almost bludgeoned me with her purse. It's kinda weird trying to tell people that I'm looking for someone whose last name I don't even remember." He laughed again, climbing in through the window and making himself comfortable on Zexion's bed. "Hey, this isn't half bad."

"Listen, I know I kept you from jail that one time, but that doesn't give you an invitation to just come inside my room! If Axel comes home he's going to pound you." Zexion wished he was closer to a phone, afraid if he tried to run the man would catch him. But he still wasn't sure if he had any reason to fear him at all. "I don't know anything about you except that you were supposed to kill me and you didn't. You've never even told me who you are! How am I supposed to trust you?"

"Well for one, with that mouth of yours you'd be in a lot more trouble if I was looking to hurt you." The man pushed back his hair, his eye patch one of the strange kinds that hooked around his ears. "I'm Nails. Weird name, sure, but it's what I can give you for now. Shake?" He held out a hand, but Zexion shook his head.

"I'm just gonna stay here." Zexion thought for a moment. It was true, in his experience the members of his gang wasted no time in completing their objectives. Nails seemed without any objective whatsoever, other than curiosity. "So…I'm fine. If that's all you wanted, you can leave now."

"Really? I was just getting comfortable. Want a cig?" He pulled one out, offering it to Zexion, who shook his head. Nails nodded, politely tapping it back into the case and putting it in his coat pocket. "How's your mom?"

"M-My mom?" Zexion blinked. He thought that they had taken her…though the government had arrested most of the men in the gang, they hadn't found his mother. He hadn't thought about it much, probably for fear of his own imagination. "I haven't seen my mother since you took her away."

Nails frowned, looking just as confused as Zexion did.

"What do you mean? We let her go once we saw the cops coming. She didn't find you?" With the news Zexion's heart felt like it was being squeezed, leaning heavily on the desk as he tried his best to keep from falling. Nails stood back up, going over to him and holding him by the arm. "You mean to say that you haven't seen her since then? How come they didn't mention that in the hearing?"

"You were released before we got to it!" Zexion felt himself being guided to his desk chair. He wasn't sure what was worse, having coped with the fact that he thought his mother was missing for the sake of his father's arrest, or having to cope all over again with the idea that he had no leads whatsoever now to find her, no hope at all… "Did you see where she went?"

"She ran off." Nails shook his head, patting Zexion on the shoulder. Zexion wasn't sure what to make of this man, why he seemed to care so much—perhaps their actions toward each other meant more to him than he had previously thought. "I'm sorry kid, I had no idea. I wouldn't have let her go if I knew she wasn't going to find you."

"I can't believe it." As Zexion grappled with the new information, Nails straightened up, walking over to the window. Zexion frowned, looking over at him. "Are you leaving, then?"

"Well yeah. But I'll be back. I'm gonna find your mom." Nails slipped out the window, pulling a cigarette from his pocket and lighting it in his mouth. "I can tell you that she wasn't found by one of the gang, they all got arrested. I made sure of that." Zexion stood, walking over to him and leaning out the window.

"You'd really do that? Why?"

"You saved me from a lifetime in jail. You didn't even know me very well, yet you still did it. It's the least I could do." Nails descended the ladder, falling a good height but somehow managing to land balanced on the ground. "I got connections, it won't take long."

"Thanks…" Zexion muttered, though he didn't think the man heard him. He wasn't sure what to feel now, looking over at his essay for a moment, then giving up and going to sit on his bed. It was well into the afternoon by now, almost dinnertime, but food didn't really appeal to him. He wondered what Demyx was up to, sitting back and imagining what it would be like to call him and explain everything that had just happened.

Lying back in his bed he covered himself with his comforter, thinking of his mother, wondering where she could be. Did this mean the chances of her being alive were less? Or greater? He didn't want to think about it, knowing that until he knew for sure he was only going to torture himself with the possibilities.

He hadn't realized how tired he was until now, though it made sense—he and Demyx had stayed up later than he ever had before. Turning on his side he closed his eyes, reaching up to hold his pillow, and trying his best not to think of anything he fell asleep for a long nap.

* * *

**A/N: Hey guys! First of all, thanks for your awesome and faithful reviews! I love that I can see familiar icons now when I check the page :3 It's wonderful, and it all means a lot to me. Second, I hope this chapter wasn't too crazy! Zexion really needs a break from all this stuff. I think the fic might end soon, though I need to figure out how. Don't worry though, I'm planning on having a little bonus chapter with Axel and Roxas in the end. I need to put them into the story more, they've been a little less prevalent lately! XD **

**Anyhow, I hope you are still enjoying it! See you next update. **


	14. Curiosity

The week passed slowly, Zexion waiting at his window almost every night before falling asleep late. He had even begun to leave a notepad and a pencil on his windowsill, in the hopes that he could even know if there was any news when he was gone. Every day he spent a little time counseling himself, countering the need to panic with the plain fact that it wouldn't be worth it until he knew for sure what was happening. Meanwhile, he spent quite a bit of time trying to finish his homework, and the rest with Demyx.

He had found that being with Demyx took quite a bit of refusal, the blonde constantly trying to find out what he could say or do to get Zexion to go a little further during their kisses, or remove one or two more pieces of clothing when it got heated. But it wasn't hard to say no, rather, harder for Zexion to say yes to most things. He couldn't help but try and conceal his body, self-consciousness getting in the way of the confidence to agree to let Demyx touch him wherever he wanted.

Roxas also dropped quite a few hints to lead Zexion to believe that he suspected them, making him want to divulge any detail he could—in his experience with their conversations together, Roxas had a way of bringing out any information he was curious about. Zexion held strong, however, sure that it was in Demyx's best interests.

One night when Roxas was back at his own apartment, finishing homework that Zexion had managed to finish before the last weekend of the break, Zexion found himself watching television with Axel. It wasn't something that happened often; given that Zexion had made it a habit to spend most of his free time with Demyx, and Axel spent most of his with Roxas. He knew that Axel was much more oblivious to the fact that he and Demyx had a relationship, hoping that perhaps he could ask him some things he had been wondering about for a while.

"Axel," Zexion finally spoke up during a commercial, making his cousin turn his head and raise his eyebrows at Zexion to show he was listening, "Were you with anyone before Roxas?"

"What, you mean like in High School?" He replied, Zexion nodding his head. "Well yeah, a couple girls. None of them were really that great. Why?" Zexion blushed, hoping that the dim light of the room hid the pink tint on his cheeks.

"I-It seems that I missed an important course in freshman biology…that h-had a great deal to do with relationships." He stuttered, hoping Axel caught his drift. "And not the dating part, either."

"You mean you never had a Sex Ed class at your high school?" Axel looked shocked, picking up the remote and pausing the TV. "What about Aunt Mena, or Uncle Vic? They never took the time to explain stuff to you?" Zexion shook his head, simultaneously glad that he had brought it up (it seemed to be more important than he thought) and regretting that he had done so with a family member. But Demyx was just as unfamiliar with the act as he was, if only a little more educated, and he didn't want Roxas to connect the dots about them just yet.

"It's not like I've never read anything, or seen anything. I used to have a computer, plus there's a whole chapter about it in the biology textbook." He swallowed, a nervous lump beginning to grow in his throat. "I just…there's a lot missing there, I think."

"You bet there is." Axel said, almost with awe. Zexion felt immature, folding his hands in his lap and looking at his kneecaps. Demyx was right; his legs were kind of hairy…

"I just wanted to know if…if there was anything important that I should know, that's not in the textbooks. The idea alone makes me nervous, but I don't know where to start, and I don't have the resources anymore." Zexion brought up a nail to his mouth, biting it as he mulled over his question. He knew it was rather general, but there was no other way to find out, unless he wanted to try and look up inappropriate websites on the school computers—something he was not willing to risk.

"There's a lot, there, Zexion. I'm not sure where to start. Is there someone at school that you're interested in?" Axel set the remote on the footstool, folding his hands together and leaning one arm up onto the back of the couch casually.

"N-No! Not at the moment…but I've gone so long without dating, I never had a chance to experience the things that people experience around my age…" He twiddled his thumbs, hoping his guess was true, wondering if people normally waited much longer to have sex. "I don't know how long a person is supposed to be in a relationship before they can sleep together, and what it involves, or if you do it differently with some people…" He rubbed his forehead. "Mostly I just want to know some of the basic stuff. The important stuff."

"Well, to answer your first question, I can say that it's different in every relationship the length of time before they go all the way. Roxas and I tried to wait until his eighteenth birthday, but we didn't quite make it. But most of the girls I went out with before them didn't let me touch them the entire time we were dating." Axel rubbed his chin in thought. "I would say for your first time, try to wait. And definitely wait until you think you're comfortable enough to let a person see you naked and watch you do embarrassing things." Zexion nodded, feeling like he should be taking notes—but it was easy to absorb what Axel was saying.

"I read in the short 'sex' section in the textbook that some people are sad when they do it for the first time." Zexion noted, wondering why the authors of the book decided to add that detail. Perhaps they were trying to indirectly encourage abstinence.

"Sure, if they do it before they're ready. But it's hard to be sad for a guy after sex, because—well, I cannot even describe to you how good it feels." Axel laughed. "Anyway, I guess another thing I should tell you is that yes, everyone is different about what they like and what feels good. If you go out with a lot of girls, you're definitely gonna meet some kinks along the way." Zexion stayed silent when Axel mentioned girls, knowing it would come up, not wanting to interrupt him. "And wear a condom no matter what."

"That was something I ran into before…" Zexion chuckled nervously. He did realize its importance though, however, he was sure that Demyx didn't have anything to spread—but maybe there were more reasons to wear one besides preventing the communication of disease.

"You're going to, a lot." Axel smiled. Zexion began to forget the awkwardness of the situation, settling on the fact that he was simply an inexperienced student who had some questions. "But try to remember that sex will often complicate things. To some people it means that you're just a way to feel good, and to others it means they love you and expect that you're in love with them as well. If you're not on the same page, it might get messy."

"Sounds…confusing."

"It is. But if you're on the same page, it's great." Axel ran his fingers through his hair, looking to the side and seemingly thinking back on a few memories. Zexion could only guess that they included Roxas.

"How did you know you liked Roxas after having dated so many women?" Zexion's voice was timid. After all, the question was a bit of a change of pace. Axel's brow furrowed in thought, tapping his fingers on his knee.

"I'm not sure. Somewhere along the line I turned my flirting energy toward him, and then it became serious. I guess I realized that Roxas had everything I couldn't find in a girl. That's…a bit of a different topic than sex, though." Zexion could see Axel was becoming shy, something he enjoyed—it was nice, for a change, not to be the one embarrassed.

"Do you love him?"

"Yeah, I think I do." Axel grinned, the kind of smile that you couldn't help. It only lasted a few moments, however, before he continued. "Anyway…there are a lot of things you should probably find out with your girlfriend." He coughed. "Or boyfriend…" He added, after a second thought.

"Thanks, Axel…" Zexion stood, "What you've said to me really helps." Axel nodded

"Anything to help, Zexion. Though if you do find someone, you let me meet them before you go off canoodling. I don't want you being with any jerk who's gonna try and take advantage of my little cousin."

"Of course." Zexion laughed, going into his room and finding his biology textbook. He sat on his bed, perusing the human anatomy section once again. At least this kept his mind off of more stressful things, though his thoughts did flicker occasionally to his mother and her whereabouts.

Looking at the illustrations he pondered how long he would have to wait until it was okay to let Demyx do everything he wanted to him, and how long it would be until Zexion was bold enough to do a few things back. Perhaps he would have a little talk with Demyx first, though he knew for sure he'd have to be more confident about it then he was now. Faintly, he could hear the phone ringing in the living room.

"Hey, Zexion, it's Demyx." Axel appeared at his doorway, Zexion quickly turning the book on its face, hoping Axel hadn't seen what he was looking at. Standing, took the phone, watching Axel walk back into the living room before closing his door.

"Hello?"

"Hey Zexion! Guess what?" Demyx's voice sounded odd on the phone. Perhaps it was his fault, for not really being used to them.

"What?"

"I finished all the break homework, which means tonight you're coming over. Kay? Bring clothes for tomorrow." Demyx sounded overjoyed to be breaking such news to Zexion, who grinned.

"Wow! Alright then. Pick me up whenever." Zexion laughed, opening the door as they said their goodbyes and walking into the kitchen to put the phone back in its station. He turned to Axel, who looked over in interest. "Demyx is making me stay at his place tonight."

"You're gonna leave me all alone?" Axel pouted. "Well…alright then. At least you're getting along with him." He turned back to the TV, flipping channels. Zexion went back into his room, putting a few pieces of clothing into a bag and looking around to make sure there was nothing else he should bring. He glanced to his clock to check the time—it was already rather late, it being almost ten at night.

Suddenly, he heard a rap on his window that made his heart leap.

He shut his door quickly, running to the window and shoving it open, using a hushed voice to none other than Nails standing outside on the fire escape platform.

"You have to be quiet, my cousin's in the other room." He whispered, Nails nodding quickly in compliance.

"I just wanted to let you know how it was going…" He lit a cigarette quickly, running his fingers through his hair and looking troubled. Through the bit of light that shone through his window he saw pale skin and bags under his eyes. Zexion's stomach fell, knowing that whatever he was about to tell him wasn't going to be something he wanted to hear. "I haven't really found a thing. It's not looking good, kid."

"What do you mean, not looking good?" His voice was already starting to shake, threatening to reach a decibel that might alert Axel.

"I mean that I can't find her! No one knows where she went. It doesn't mean she's dead, it just means she's great at hiding. Or…well, let's just leave it there." Nails sucked on the end of his cigarette, seemingly calmed by the smoke that filled his lungs.

"Are you going to keep looking?" He muttered, pulling back, not wanting to breathe in any of the haze that wafted around Nails' head.

"Of course. I want to find out what's going on here, it's the least I could do." He gave Zexion a weak smile. "But kid, word of advice…I've had relatives go missing, myself. I would try and take your mind off of it whatever way you can, or you're gonna go crazy." He put out his cigarette on the metal grating to his side.

"Okay." Zexion didn't want him to speculate further, knowing that at least Demyx was on his way to distract him. It wouldn't be so hard to take his advice, at least for tonight.

"Alright. Take care." Zexion watched as Nails climbed easily back down the metal ladder, wishing he could go with him, wanting to know how he was going about his search. He didn't move from his place on the window sill until he heard a knock at the front door and the faint sound of Demyx's voice.


	15. Forgetting

Before leaving his room Zexion took a few breaths, closing his eyes tightly and running his fingers through his hair. Nails had said to keep his mind off of his mother, though it was much easier said than done. He forced himself to perk back up, turning and grabbing his bag before leaving his room, the window still open.

He saw Demyx in the living room with Axel, smiling so brightly that Zexion couldn't help examine how darkly he felt, the disparity between their moods gaping. Demyx threw an arm around his shoulder, Zexion averting his eyes from Axels' gaze as they left. As much as he tried to hide his troubles from showing through his face, he saw that Demyx could tell there was something wrong.

"What's going on, Zexion?" As soon as he heard the words Zexion couldn't help but bring his bag to his chest for security, Demyx starting the car and beginning to drive to his house. Should he tell Demyx the truth? He knew that he wouldn't like the idea of some sketchy stranger visiting him at his window, and he certainly didn't want to convey the wrong idea about Nails or himself.

"Just…well, you know…the same stuff." He mumbled, running a finger along the handle of the car door. "Every once in a while it comes up, and the thoughts are hard to ignore." He wasn't lying completely, thoughts about his mother did come up, and they were indeed difficult to turn his mind from.

"Oh god…do you want me to drive you back home?" Demyx looked over at him worriedly as they approached a stop light just before his house. "I can, it would be no problem. I could even stay there if you wanted."

"No! Believe me," Zexion replied quickly, "Being with you takes my mind off of it. I don't want to go back home, I'd rather go play Mario Kart in your room." Demyx took the short time before the light turned green to lay a hand on the back of his head, squeezing the base of his neck reassuringly.

"Anything you need, Zexion, and you just say the word." His voice was soothing, and while Zexion didn't feel much calmer by it, he certainly appreciated how nicely he was treated. He had gotten lucky with making him as a friend in the first place—no one in Bi Vinolo would have given his troubles a second thought.

At Demyx's house they played video games just as Zexion wanted, his hand getting much better at racing him, beating Demyx the majority of the time. Though in a new game where the objective seemed to be to simply beat each other up on screen, Demyx did much better—both boys teasing each other in substantial amounts as they played. Zexion managed to make it through most of the night without becoming too anxious, though slight worries seemed to always lie at the back of his mind.

"Zexion…" Demyx put his controller down after Zexion finally beat him in a tense, lasting one-on-one avatar battle. Zexion was sitting on his bed while Demyx sat on the floor, next to his legs. "I'm done with video games for a while, let's kiss." There was a hint of a whine in his voice, though Zexion had to admit he kind of liked when Demyx had to ask him for things.

"Well, if you insist." Zexion put his controller on Demyx's night table as the older boy crawled between his legs, then stood up just enough to tip Zexion backward onto his bed. With their hips pressed together, Demyx wasted no time in pushing his lips to Zexion's and running his fingers through the sides of his hair. Zexion tentatively wrapped his arms around Demyx's torso, forcing his fingers into the muscle on his shoulders. Demyx moaned in response.

As their lips moved together, Zexion noticed that the nagging feeling was slipping away, easily replaced by the sensations of kissing and touching Demyx. Over the week they had gotten more comfortable with the motions, though Zexion couldn't help but observe how needy Demyx's kisses were. It didn't matter to him; however, allowing Demyx to move his hips against Zexion's in a gentle, rolling motion.

The routine they had settled into broke when Demyx pushed his tongue past Zexion's lips, stunning him. For a moment he didn't move, Demyx slowly dragging his tongue across his bottom lip, the act magnified by Zexion's immobility. Pulling back, Demyx looked down at him, mouth stained with the reflection of the room's soft yellow light, his expression that of concern.

"Sorry…I thought I'd try it." He whispered, brushing Zexion's bangs to the side. Zexion blinked, then shook his head as he curled his fingers around the front of Demyx's shirt and tugged.

"I liked it." He smiled coyly before Demyx leaned in for another kiss, Zexion quickly assimilating himself to Demyx's tongue stirring against his own. Though the repercussions were quick—not long into this new and different method of kissing Zexion became desperately aroused, and couldn't help but notice that Demyx had as well.

Now were the warning bells to stop, but even stronger anxieties kept him from pushing Demyx away—he was supposed to be keeping his mind off of things, and this had been the best method so far. It wasn't as though this hadn't happened before, though usually it was where their activities were halted. Demyx seemed to notice that Zexion wasn't stopping them, making it his turn to be tentative, Zexion feeling the pressure to grip Demyx's waist in encouragement.

He didn't bother to think much about whether it would be a mistake not to stop them before things got too far—in fact, he didn't bother to think much at all. He was tired of thinking, and touching Demyx so intimately allowed him to let go of even the most deep seated anxiety. Before he knew it he was wrapping his legs around the blonde's hips and pulling off his shirt, Demyx posing no questions—only looking down at him with half-lidded arousal as he pushed Zexion's shirt up past his nipples. Leaning down, he gently dragged his tongue across one areola, Zexion's quiet gasps punctuating the sound of their jeans rubbing together.

No one made mention of the possibility that they could be moving too fast, not a word uttered as they repositioned themselves at the head of the bed, Zexion's shirt suddenly removed. It was far from a discussion when Demyx groaned, or when Zexion made soft moans of pleasure as Demyx reached down to massage him through his pants.

Zexion's blush was more of embarrassment when Demyx unzipped his own jeans, fumbling underneath his boxers and pulling out his erection. He tried not to look at it, or to avoid looking at it too much—and when Demyx did no similar movement to Zexion he realized that he was supposed to do it himself, whether he chose to or not. Looking down he saw how hard Demyx was as he stroked himself and pressed his lips against Zexion's forehead, and he couldn't help but imagine how nice it would be to free himself from his pants, feeling the cool air rather than fabric and possibly the head of Demyx's cock slicked against his own.

As he felt Demyx's pre-cum drip onto his belly Zexion undid the button on his jeans, pushing them down past his hips and gripping his penis in relief. He closed his eyes, Demyx kissing his neck while his hair tickled the side of his face, Zexion breathing his scent in deeply and realizing that he didn't have much further to go before he came.

He was surprised when Demyx's breaths came deeper and faster, though he had to pause and look back down, watching fascinated as the boy's cock twitched several times, cum gushing liberally into Demyx's palm. He found himself wishing, for a brief moment, that he had known beforehand what was happening—despite how clear it was. Demyx reached over him to grab a tissue from his bedside table, wiping his hand off and throwing it into the garbage. Zexion looked over at him, dumbfounded, wondering if they were done now, until Demyx began to kiss him again and he felt the older boy's hand moving his own out of the way, stroking him firmly.

The way he stroked him was different, but much better, pulling with a firmer grip. His hand was hot, and Zexion could barely move his lips against Demyx's at all in concentration. In the seconds before he came he reached up to grip Demyx's shoulders, breaking the kiss to lean his head back slightly and gasp just as he climaxed. Demyx slowed down considerably to let Zexion's cum slide over his fingers, some surging onto the blonde's stomach.

As he relaxed he released several quiet whimpers, letting Demyx kiss his chin and neck, his shirt having fallen back down over his nipples. Right now he felt good, like his head was being squeezed pleasantly, massaged by skilled fingertips. Demyx smiled down at him, though it didn't show complete satisfaction—both knew that they had probably made a mistake.

"We need to shower…" He whispered, sitting up, his penis still exposed as he got another tissue to wipe his fingers off once more. "It'll be faster if we both wash at the same time." Demyx's voice was warm, though his words not exactly what Zexion had expected. He thought for sure that he was going to get a comment on his body or a few words about what they had done, but instead he found himself being pulled upright at the side of Demyx's bed, watching as his boyfriend shed his own pants. He followed suit, then let himself be lead into the bathroom.

Demyx turned on the water, holding a hand underneath the stream as it got warm, Zexion getting goose bumps from standing there without clothes. It wasn't for long, though, Demyx motioning him to step inside and immediately getting doused with hot water. He sighed, the warmth soothing, Demyx handing him a cloth that he had rubbed with soap. They washed themselves, Zexion trying to think of something good to say, though nothing came. The shower was small, Zexion able to feel Demyx's breath on his back as he rinsed himself.

"You done?" Demyx took the cloth from him as he nodded, hanging both up on a little rack bolted into the wall. Turning back Demyx made sure he was clean, looking up at Zexion and tugging on one of his strands of hair. "Your skin looks nice when it's wet." Zexion smiled.

"Thanks…your skin...looks nice no matter what." He returned bashfully, happy when Demyx laughed and pecked him on the cheek. Getting out they dried themselves off easily, Zexion finding himself a little more comfortable in the nude around Demyx—after all, what they had just done shouldn't make him feel so shy. They dressed in their pajamas, though Zexion didn't really feel tired. Demyx turned the television on, the sound of commercials filling the room as he sat at the side of his bed. Zexion sat next to him, letting Demyx put an arm around him comfortably as they watched for a while.

"Do you think that was a bad idea?" Zexion finally asked, the words coming out quickly. Demyx didn't answer for a moment, as he always took time to think about Zexion's questions before answering them right away.

"Maybe. It feels a little different now, doesn't it?" He answered, "I've never done that with anyone before…and I haven't come so fast in a long time." Demyx's response sounded a bit breathless, and Zexion realized he was seeing a different side of him he didn't see often, the shy, timid feelings usually his own to deal with.

"Me too. I liked hearing you, though…was what we did considered sex?"

"Technically no…" Demyx turned to look at him, "You do know how men have sex, right?" He looked slightly worried, and Zexion smiled.

"Yeah, I managed to find out a while ago." He was glad he did, having had plenty of time to get used to the idea.

"Good…but you know, even if that wasn't sex, it was kind of close…It still meant a lot to me." Demyx kissed the side of his head, Zexion nodding.

"Me too. I wish I had known more about what I was doing…" He fidgeted, picking at his nails and drawing his knees up to his chest. He hadn't realized until now that he had forgotten about his worries from earlier, though the memory brought an unpleasant rushing feeling in his stomach.

"We'll just have to hold on until you're more comfortable."

That night Zexion fell asleep on Demyx's bed, both trying to embrace as they slept but finding it too warm to be so close. Even so, Zexion felt calmed to be next to his boyfriend, resolving to have more self-restraint—no matter how good it felt with Demyx, he knew it was much too early for him to do it again. As he fell asleep he turned his thoughts from his mother and from Demyx and instead decided to concentrate for a while on what it would be like to be able to breathe underwater.

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**A/N: ZEXION WHAT DID YOU DO. Well that's teenage boys for you, really. Sorry this took me so long! And I hope no one's disappointed to read them doing such a thing so quickly-oh who am I kidding. _How can you not enjoy this, HONESTLY_. hahaha NGH The ideas are coming slowly, my fair and beautiful readers, and it is hard to write sex or just mutual masturbation like this because I am very, very picky about words and I will spend forever trying to come up with just the right ones. And now I have to figure out how I'm going to resolve this mess! D: To be honest, I'm still not sure! Haha. So I apologize for what will inevitably be some slow updating-though I am devoted to finishing the story before classes start for me. :3 College is no doubt going to make me way too busy to write, and I don't want to leave it hanging! **

**Okay blah blah BLAH, haha hope you enjoyed this. As always, your reviews bring joy to my life! WOO!  
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	16. Discovery

When Zexion woke up the next morning, he found Demyx pressed up against the wall, his pillow down near his legs. Sitting up he felt decidedly clean, even though he was used to taking a shower as soon as he could. Gingerly he slipped out of bed, careful not to wake Demyx as he found his bag and took out the clothes. He shed his pajamas and got dressed comfortably in the warm room, light streaming in from a window near the ceiling. Looking up he noticed that it was too shrouded in plants from his backyard to see in or out properly, a fact he found rather convenient given what he and Demyx were up to last night.

After pulling on his shirt he ran his fingers through his hair, sighing and sitting back down on the bed, leaning over Demyx's legs and letting his back rest against the wall. This way he could see his face, still sleeping peacefully, Zexion smiling at how very calm he seemed in comparison to his normally energetic expressions. He couldn't wake him up, not yet…Feeling bold; he set a hand on Demyx's thigh, closing his eyes for a moment.

Axel had said that sex would complicate things; that if you weren't on the same page, it could get messy. Last night's conversation had certainly proved that they were at least close to the same page—though he knew Demyx wanted more than he felt like giving. But he had never tried to make him do anything he didn't want, which Zexion was thankful for. He imagined Demyx on top of him, looking at him after he had come and turned to stroking Zexion instead, and it was easy to see why Demyx wanted it so badly. It had felt so much better than doing it alone, though he felt a pang of guilt that he hadn't tried to touch Demyx in the way the blonde had touched him.

Opening his eyes Zexion leaned down, remembering how it had gone the last time he had tried to wake Demyx—but when he shook him softly Demyx sat up without complaint, Zexion a bit shocked by the change. Though, to give him credit, it was only the second time he'd ever tried to wake him. Kissing him on the side of the head, Demyx's words croaked unsteadily in an attempt to find his voice.

"How come you're dressed?" He rubbed at his eyes, yawning deeply.

"I don't like staying in my pajamas for too long…" Zexion ran his fingers through Demyx's hair, appreciating how it looked, limp and without gel. It was an interesting picture, and Zexion was pleased that Demyx looked decidedly happy that he had woke him up.

"Are you leaving?" He mumbled, pulling Zexion closer and pressing his lips against his neck, making Zexion blush.

"Do you want me to? I can leave whenever you like, I don't have homework to do or anything."

"Stay here with me for a while, then." Demyx kissed him, running his fingers through his hair slowly. Zexion indulged him for a few minutes, resting his hands on his hips and even moaning when he got goose bumps from the way Demyx ran his nails lightly over the nape of his neck.

Their activities ended abruptly, however, when the door opened and Demyx's mother walked in. Demyx tore himself away from Zexion, who couldn't bring himself to look at whatever expression she wore, instead concentrating worriedly on Demyx's face as he stared, irritated, at his mother.

"Mom, seriously, don't you know how to knock?" The tone of his voice was of the utmost annoyance, though Zexion was surprised at the casual way in which he crossed his arms and leaned back against his headboard. Zexion found himself blushing deeply, wishing he could teleport to his room in Axel's apartment and never leave again.

"I-I'm sorry, I just wanted to let you know that breakfast is ready, if you want any…" She sounded a bit flustered, though Zexion doubted anyone was as flustered as he felt. "And maybe at breakfast we can have a talk."

"Don't tell dad yet, mom. At least let me do that part." Zexion heard no reply as she left, closing the door behind her and going back up the stairs. Zexion put a hand over his face, falling backward onto Demyx's bed and groaning pitifully.

"Oh my god…" Zexion couldn't believe his luck, feeling more than embarrassed at being discovered by one of Demyx's parents. The last thing he needed was to have a _talk_ with some adults he barely knew about who knows what over breakfast.

"Don't worry, Zexion." Demyx seemed less upset now that his mother was gone, "I'm nineteen, remember? It's not like mom wants to give us a talk about the birds and the bees. She probably just wants to make sure we use protection, or something like that."

"No matter what, I don't really feel like hearing any 'talks' from any parents. Ever." Zexion mumbled, "I kind of just want to go home and bury myself in a hole." Demyx laughed, flopping down on the bed next to Zexion and laying a hand on his chest comfortingly.

"I'll handle all the talks. Mom can't say a thing at breakfast if Dad's there, and I know she's not going to tell him if I told her that I will. Don't worry; I'll get you home before she can say a word." Zexion slowly uncovered his face, wondering how Demyx could act so calmly about everything.

"Why aren't you worried about how your parents are going to react that you were kissing a boy?" Zexion looked over at the blonde, wishing he could act as casually as his boyfriend did at the moment. But all he felt was loathing for going upstairs, and his thoughts began to fill with plans of exiting out of the window next to the ceiling in Demyx's room. Subconsciously he began to look for something tall he could climb out with.

"Well, they just don't seem like they're really gonna have a problem with you being a boy. Just you being in my bedroom. I wish I had a lock…" Demyx pouted his lips in thought as Zexion closed his eyes once again.

"I guess we're just going to have to go and eat?" Zexion sighed, though he didn't really feel like opening his eyes. "Or maybe I can just go; I don't have to have breakfast. That sounds much too excruciating."

"You know, if we stay together for a long time, you're going to see them a lot." Demyx chuckled, "I can sneak you home now, but in the future we may not get so lucky." Zexion suddenly felt a little itchy, not really wanting to think that far ahead in the future. He hadn't planned on being discovered so quickly into their relationship, and wondered if he would be feeling different if he and Demyx hadn't masturbated together the night before.

"Don't you think this is going a little too fast?" Zexion sat up, scooting to the edge of the bed. Demyx followed him quickly, looking quite worried at what he had said

"N-Now don't say things like that…" Demyx folded his hands together, nudging him with his shoulder. "If you need to I'll deal with all the things mom has to say, and we can start hanging out at your place more often…and only come here if you're okay with it. There are a lot of other places we can go, too."

Zexion nodded reluctantly. He hadn't realized he was so private a person, though it made sense—he hadn't gotten to know Demyx's mother very well, usually getting home much later than his Dad. He was frightened at how his Dad might react to him once he found out, the whole idea stressing him more than he thought it would.

"I'm going to get dressed, and we're gonna get out of here, alright?" Demyx's voice was soft, Zexion watching the door carefully as he grabbed everything into his bag, afraid of another pop-in. Demyx quickly dressed into some jeans and a t-shirt, ushering Zexion out of his room and to the front door, where thankfully neither parent caught sight of them.

"Want to walk?" Demyx raised his eyebrows in question as he extended his hand, Zexion taking it in relief.

"You sure? I thought it was kind of far to walk…" Zexion felt a bit better as Demyx squeezed his hand, lacing their fingers together intimately. "Not that I mind, but you have to walk all the way back, don't you?"

"Sure, but this way I get to spend more time with you…and less time with my parents. Besides, I brought snacks." Demyx pulled a couple granola bars out of his pocket, smiling widely as he brandished one to Zexion. Laughing, they both opened the wrapper with each of their free hands, Zexion eating it gratefully as Demyx opened his with his teeth.

"Your parents kind of scare me." Zexion admitted, earning a chuckle from Demyx as they made their way down the sidewalk.

"Oh? Why?"

"N-Not really in a bad way, but I guess they're just something I'm not used to. Your mom is really serious about things, and needs to…talk about _stuff_, whatever it might be. And your dad is so serene…I'm not used to a dad who sits in the kitchen and peels potatoes." As the words came out Zexion began to realize how ridiculous he was being, blushing a bit by his own admission.

"That scares you?" Demyx giggled, Zexion feeling rather self-conscious as he wordlessly took another bite of his granola bar and nodded.

"I guess my parents were a lot different. I never had any serious talks with my mom, except for once…" He swallowed, pushing the memory away, "And my dad wasn't really around during high school. I guess the idea that they're more involved in your life scares me…because I got used to being so private about my own."

"That's very introspective of you." Demyx ran his thumb over the back of Zexion's hand, "I'll do my best to make sure everything you want to keep private stays that way until you're ready."

"When I met you, I didn't know you'd be so respectful." Zexion looked up at Demyx, raising an eyebrow. "Have you always been this way?"

"I think Roxas and Axel have a little something to do with it." Demyx mused, ingesting a hunk of his granola bar as Zexion watched.

"Roxas is really smart when it comes to this stuff, I think." Zexion nodded as he said so, though Demyx shook his head.

"Mmmno," He swallowed, "Him and Axel have had tons of problems since they've gotten together. I've learned a lot from watching them, and since both of them tell me their feelings on each matter, I get to see both sides of every argument."

"But that's terrible! They don't seem like the type to fight very much…" Zexion was perplexed, afraid that Demyx was one of those people to benefit off of other's misfortunes. "I know Roxas had some kind of a problem with me coming to stay at Axel's…but otherwise I've never seen them mad at each other."

"It's not a bad thing. They're still together, aren't they?" Demyx muttered, seeming completely unconcerned. "No two people can ever agree on everything. It's only natural for them to get into arguments, especially given all the time they spend together." Zexion looked down at the sidewalk as Demyx spoke, thinking about what he said. It was true; he had even had a small disagreement with Roxas once at school, though over something so unimportant that he had forgotten.

"We haven't argued over anything yet." He mentioned, wondering what Demyx would think.

"I know. I don't like arguing, so if I can avoid it, I do." Demyx shrugged matter-of-factly, stuffing the wrapper into his pocket. Zexion finished his and did the same. "I'm sure one day I'll do something that'll make you mad, though. I tend to do that, just ask Roxas and Axel." He laughed. "But if we do fight and still feel like being around each other, then we're doing something right."

"I didn't think we'd be getting into such a deep conversation walking back home. I was afraid I'd be too embarrassed to talk to you when I woke up, to be honest." Zexion began swinging their hands gently between them, looking around at the trees which had only just that week begun to sprout so beautifully, making everything green.

"Me too."

They walked in considerable silence the rest of the way, though Zexion felt much more at ease than he had when Demyx's mother had walked in. As they approached the apartment building he noticed someone standing outside his apartment door, the sight of straight, red hair and an eye patch making his heart flip as he tried his best not to think about the fact that his mother wasn't with him.

"U-Uh…Demyx?" Zexion said quickly as Nails recognized him, throwing his cigarette to the side and descending the stairs to meet them.

"Yeah?" Demyx had seen him too, holding Zexion's hand tightly, though at the moment he really wished he would let go.

"I know that guy, so don't freak out, okay?" Zexion couldn't explain any further, Nails approaching them quickly as Demyx stood silently beside him.

"Hey kid. I know I shoulda left a note or something, but I don't think it would be right to write a little note and leave you hangin'. This your friend?" Nails looked at Demyx but neither extended a hand as Zexion piped up.

"Y-Yes, but please, can you tell me anything?" Zexion's heart was in his throat. Leave him hanging? What did he mean by that?

"I can't. Actually, I started to ask for too much information from people and…let's just say I'm in a lot of trouble now. I have to disappear, and pretty quickly too, or else I'm gonna disappear to the bottom of a lake." He took out a fresh cigarette, lighting it nervously. "If I were you, I'd hire a Private Investigator, someone who can look into this stuff without getting themselves into a mess like me."

"So…you have to leave? And you haven't been able to find anything?" Zexion tried not to let his voice shake, knowing that it wasn't Nail's fault that she had disappeared so well.

"I'm sorry, kid…" Nails looked genuinely remorseful for Zexion's sake, pushing his hair back in a small fit of anxiety. "I did the best I could. There are two things you gotta know, though. One, that it's not because of your mom that I have to leave. It's my own shit that's catching up to me, which I think I'll regret for the rest of the time I'll spend running."

Demyx squeezed Zexion's hand as he felt him starting to tremble, Zexion glad that Demyx was there, and that he wasn't mad—yet.

"And as for the second thing—I don't want to get your hopes up now, but I will tell you, it's a lot easier to find someone if they're dead. And I know none of my buddies kept her around once she took off—I think your mom knew what she was doing when she left."

"Y-You think she's alive, then?" Zexion felt he was going to be sick from the stress of Nails' visit, already starting to feel nauseous.

"I don't want to say that, since I can't tell you for sure…but if I had to say anything about it, I would say she's out there somewhere. She probably thinks you died, which would explain why she hasn't shown up around here yet. A closet full of bullet holes is a pretty convincing reason not to think your son is alive, wouldn't you say?" Nails sucked down the smoke of his cigarette, tapping his shoe against the ground.

"Yeah…" Zexion couldn't really muster anything else on the subject. "Thanks…you did more than I could ask you to do."

"I hope you find your mom, kid." Nails pulled off his jacket, turning. "I gotta take off. Good luck."

"You too…" Demyx and Zexion watched him walk away, and with him the hopes Zexion had that he'd ever be able to find his mother. For a moment they stood there, Zexion squeezing Demyx's hand tightly, wondering briefly if he'd make it through life without crumpling under the stress he'd had to bear.

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**A/N: AUUUGHHHH I'm so sorry this took so long! I know I already warned you guys but you have all been so good to me in your reviews that I still feel bad. I do have a good excuse though, I turned 20 last Friday, and was quite busy with several extended celebrations XD So yay! Hopefully I'll have the next chapter for you sooner. It's approaching the end~ Though I should really stop saying that because I don't know how many chapters it will take. **

**ANYWAY. I hope you all are doing well! And that you enjoy this chapter, or at least...well. Enjoy the fact that you are not Zexion. XD  
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